
In the Gospel of John, a party was held in the house of Mary and Martha, celebrating the resurrection
of their brother Lazarus. During the course of events, it became obvious that Martha was a
"bumblebee"
and Mary was a
"butterfly". Martha was oriented toward the tasks at hand while Mary sat at Jesus' feet,
soaking in His teaching. Many years ago, Dr. Young had a fascinating experience with another Mary and Martha,
both of them like their Biblical counterparts. During an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, with healings, signs,
wonders and miracles, Mary requested prayer for her feet, which were causing her great pain. Martha,
ever the
"bumblebee", immediately requested that Mary sit in a chair while Martha knelt in front of
her, holding Mary's feet in her hands. What no one knew was that Martha
also had severe foot
pain. As Martha prayed for Mary, not only was Mary healed but Martha was also healed! Dr. Young has
found that one of the keys to a rich, fulfilling and fruitful prayer life is to spend your time praying
not so much for yourself and your own needs but rather to pray for the needs of others around you,
both immediate and distant. Prayer needs to be
selfless in order to truly be effective.
George Mueller, one of the greatest prayer warriors of all time, said it this way -
"Have no mind of
your own in the matter". Let the Holy Spirit show you the direction your prayers should go.