Pray for one another

… and pray for one another. —James 5:16

Many people make resolutions or commitments to cultivate or break old habits at the beginning of each year. Those of us who have attempted to keep these promises faithfully for 365 days can confess that it is difficult to keep the momentum going when the vagaries of life overtake us. The unexpected illness, loss of a loved one or colleague, or the unplanned change in work responsibilities or location are just a few of those things that can come up and get in the way of our pledges.

As we begin this spring quarter, I feel compelled to invite each of us who work for Loma Linda University Health to embark upon a journey of praying for one another. Why pray corporately? Prayer was a spiritual practice that was integrated into the life of Jesus. A survey of the gospels reveals that He often separated Himself from the crowds and followers to spend time in prayer.

James, the brother of Jesus, places prayer as essential in the life of a person of faith. One biblical tradition nicknames him “camel knees” because of the calluses he allegedly developed from long hours spent in prayer. The founders of our organization were also well acquainted with prayer as they sought funding and direction when embarking upon the dream of creating a place where the sick could be cared for and taught how to live healthfully.

Praying for one another helps us to remain connected as an organization. Prayer becomes one of the means to deepen and strengthen our commitment to stay on mission. It is when we pray that healing, comfort, encouragement, and change occur in the prayer practitioner’s life and those being prayed for.

Let us keep the momentum going by renewing our pledge to pray for each other as we face an untried future in the days and weeks ahead. A daily or weekly prayer time with your team, department, or students allows us to support each other, whether all is well or if we face unanticipated trials, because we can navigate them together through prayer.

—Dilys Brooks, PhD, BCC, is campus chaplain for Loma Linda University.