John 11:42 “I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
There are many reasons for public prayer. The most common valid reason is to enable those in earshot to join in with the prayer. That, after all, is the meaning of “amen,” which means, most simply, “so be it.” Some people do it to seem pious, to be admired, and Jesus put such people down very clearly for that. (Matthew 6:5) Sometimes, however, prayer needs to be public to allow the people in earshot to know the spiritual transaction that is taking place, and that’s more common than we realize. When a person of real faith prays, things happen, and when those with previously less faith realize that, they may be prompted to repentance and faith themselves. Any time we have occasion to pray publicly we are not to hesitate, but rather ask the Holy Spirit to pray through us as usual, (Romans 8:26) to speak words that will bless those around us in the ways God knows they need it.
I am in the middle of another practicum in this very thing, having led the wake last night of a man whom I baptized on his hospital bed just recently. His daughter and son-in-law are active Christians, and his wife has professed faith herself, but I don’t think any of the rest of the relatives who gathered are believers. I’ll have another shot at them in the funeral this morning! I’m sure none of them have experienced anything like what we’re doing, expressing gratitude to God for His grace and essentially congratulating the man who died on being in heaven! My prayer is that, once they get over their shock, they will realize that they too need the assurance that is being expressed here, and turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. I pray that the daughter and son-in-law will be kept busy by inquiries from the relatives, wanting to know how they too may be saved! I am a small cog in all of this, but an important one, and I am to stay yielded to the Holy Spirit each moment, so that He may have full opportunity to work in each heart and life, drawing them to repentance and faith.
Father, thank You for all that You are doing. Thank You for the good, friendly atmosphere that was quite evident last night. I pray that as more of our church members attend this morning that Your presence would be even more evident, and that all the way through the crematorium this afternoon, I would be fully available and obedient to You, for You to do through me all that You have planned, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!