Page 44 – Guideposts Articles

Pray ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ Prayers

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Bob Hostetler

I was inspired not long ago by my youngest grandchild.

My grandchildren constantly inspire me, so this was nothing unusual. But it stuck with me nonetheless.

I was pushing two-(almost three)-year-old Avery in a swing. Her brilliant red hair blew back and forth, sometimes covering and sometimes uncovering her face as she swung. Finally, she threw her head back in a gesture of ecstasy, closed her eyes, turned her face to the sky and said, “Yes!”

She said it repeatedly, with each new push I gave her. Without opening her eyes: “Yes!” While feeling the sun’s warmth on her face: “Yes!” Anticipating the next brush of wind as she swung forward: “Yes!”

It was a special moment, and not just because she is my grandchild (one of my five favorite, in fact). It inspired me to pray.

That evening as I retired to my prayer chair in my study, I leaned my head back against the chair. I closed my eyes. I pictured one of the day’s many blessings. “Yes!”

I did it again, visualizing another beautiful moment: “Yes!” And another: “Yes!”

Soon, tears were running down my face as, over and over, I spoke a single word to my gracious heavenly Father: “Yes!”

I have since repeated that simple (but effective) prayer. And I have added a second.

I hear a siren in the distance, signaling some emergency. I say, “No.” In other words, “Don’t let the worst happen. Let no one be hurt. Prevent or heal disease or disaster.”

Ask Guideposts’ OurPrayer team to pray for you!

I drive through town, and I see someone passed out on the street. I don’t know if they are homeless, addicted or injured. But it doesn’t matter. I pray, “No.”

I see a tragedy or injustice reported on television or the Internet: “No.” An animal squeals in pain: “No.” A car speeds past, well over the speed limit: “No.”

“Yes.” “No.” A single syllable. But these two short, simple prayers are now one of my favorite ways to pray. Sometimes they lead to more words, but usually they don’t. In spite of—or perhaps because of—their brevity, they connect me quickly and effectively to my gracious God, who knows my heart and exactly what I mean when I say “Yes” or “No.”

Pray with Your Favorite Foods

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Bob Hostetler

For millennia now, observant Jewish parents have taught their children from infancy to love God and His words by placing a dab of honey on a page of scripture as they simultaneously read and give the child occasional tastes of the honey.

The idea, of course, is for the child to learn to associate God’s words with sweetness and pleasure, as the psalmist prayed, “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103, NIV)

What a wonderful custom—and one that might suggest a way to enhance our prayer lives, even as adults, by associating certain foods with specific prayers.

For example, when I am handed the bread basket at a meal, why not pray, silently or aloud, “Give us each day our daily bread” (Luke 11:3, NIV) or “I cannot live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4, NIV).

Or what if my first cup of coffee each morning prompted a prayer like, “I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble” (Psalm 59:16, NIV).

An egg or fish dish might prompt me to remember Luke 11:11-13: “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Any fruit could remind me to pray for the fruit of the Spirit in my life, for more “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV).

And a pastry or dessert might evoke the psalmist’s prayer: “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you” (Psalm 63:4-6, NIV).

With a little practice, meal times and snack times might be transformed into times of prayer—and God knows, I need the latter far more than the former.

Ask the OurPrayer team to pray for you!

Pray with St. Patrick

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Rick Hamlin

It’s Paul who tells us that we have “the mind of Christ,” but I’d give credit to a later divine, St. Patrick, for showing us how to do that in prayer.

On St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, the world turns happily green for this man who supposedly rid Ireland of all its snakes and explained the Trinity with the help of a shamrock (and if anyone can fully explain the Trinity, they are indeed worthies).

But I especially treasure St. Patrick for his prayer. Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me…

First of all, in case you wondered, Patrick was not Irish. He was, in fact, born in England in the late 4th century, then kidnapped at age 16, enslaved and taken to pagan Ireland. There he worked as a shepherd in brutal weather, tending the flocks and praying constantly.

Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me…

Is this where the prayer that is attributed to him had its origins? Imagine a shepherd facing cold wicked winds and rain on a barren hilltop, while trying to protect his sheep from thieves and dangers. Would he not look for Christ around him, in front of him, beside him, above him, everywhere?

Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise…

And how would he himself stay warm on those winter nights when darkness covered the Irish landscape for countless hours? And as a slave, who could he find to advocate for him? Who would defend him? Who would listen to him?

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me…

After six years as a slave Patrick escaped, walked 200 miles, found a ship headed towards England, became a priest, then went to the Continent to grow further in faith before he was called to return to Ireland and bring Christ to the people.

Which is why Ireland celebrates him. Which is why we all wear green on March 17.

But even if you’re not Irish–and alas, I’m not–you can pray with him. Because his prayer is a sure guide to a rich full life, to security, serenity. Scotch those leprechauns and four-leafed clovers. This is what the holiday is really about. A man who faced impossible hardship and escaped to freedom, a freedom he shares with all of us.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

Pray with Pictures

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Bob Hostetler

News accounts recently announced a project to discover and record instances of medieval graffiti in England. More than 28,000 drawings and carvings have already been catalogued in Norwich Cathedral alone.

Some of the images, it is thought, were created as prayers–thanks for a safe voyage, prayers for upcoming voyages, etc.

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It’s not hard to imagine a medieval churchgoer, concerned for a family member at sea, scratching a representation of the loved one’s ship on a column or floor stone as a way of praying for that person. In fact, praying with pictures can be a helpful way to pray even today, in the third millennium.

Here are just a few ways:

1. Doodle your prayer in a journal.
Draw the person or thing you’re praying for. Or ask, What will an answer to my prayer look like?, and draw that.

2. Color a picture or symbol as you pray.
Coloring isn’t just for children. On a recent prayer retreat, my wife enjoyed an extended session of coloring exquisite designs the retreat leader provided while praying and listening to worship music (see illustration at right).

3. Focus on a snapshot of the people or things you are praying for.
Some people keep family photos or school snapshots in their Bibles, prayer journals or in a special place of prayer to help them visualize the objects of their prayer.

4. Pray on Pinterest.
Type in a simple search term like “prayer,” “intercession” or “praise,” and use the “pins” that appear to inspire your praying. You may even want to create your own Pinterest prayer board.

5. Pray with a drawing or painting app on your smartphone or tablet.
Try Sketchbook Express or Paper by Fifty-Three. Both have a free version, though Paper is available only for Apple products.

Some people find that creative exercises like these help them corral active minds and focus their thoughts. Some also save the fruits of their efforts to enhance subsequent prayer sessions.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, pictures may do more for your prayer life than you ever thought possible.

4 Prayers by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Bob Hostetler

Since 1986, Americans have observed an annual holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Occurring on the third Monday of January each year, the holiday falls around (and sometimes on) Dr. King’s birthday, January 15. It honors the civil rights leader’s nonviolent activism and inspirational rhetoric in protesting and changing racial discrimination in the U.S.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day means a day off from work for some citizens. It often includes a church service or civic event to remember and revive King’s call to equality, justice and brotherhood for all people. It can also be an occasion for prayer. In fact, it is an opportunity to pray with the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. —particularly since many of his prayers are as timely and to-the-point now as they have ever been.

Here are four of Dr. King’s prayers from a collection titled, “Thou, Dear God”: Prayers That Open Hearts and Spirits (edited by Lewis V. Baldwin):

1) Prayer to forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be

O Thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being, we humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds, and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses rather than by the life of sacrificial love as revealed by Christ. We often give in order to receive. We love our friends and hate our enemies. We go the first mile but dare not travel the second. We forgive but dare not forget. And so as we look within ourselves, we are confronted with the appalling fact that the history of our lives is the history of an eternal revolt against you. But thou, O God, have mercy upon us. Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be. Give us the intelligence to know your will. Give us the courage to do your will. Give us the devotion to love thy will. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. Amen. (p. 7)

2) Prayer in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life

O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind; in whom to dwell is to find peace and security; toward whom to turn is to find life and life eternal, we humbly beseech Thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldst be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, Thy saving health unto all nations. We also pray for Thy holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by Thy Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to Thy Fatherly goodness all those who are in any way afflicted or distressed in mind or body. Give them patience under the suffering and power of endurance. This we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen. (p. 57)

3) Prayer to make a creative contribution to this world

O God, we thank you for the lives of great saints and prophets in the past, who have revealed to us that we can stand up amid the problems and difficulties and trials of life and not give in. We thank you for our foreparents, who’ve given us something in the midst of the darkness of exploitation and oppression to keep going. Grant that we will go on with the proper faith and the proper determination of will, so that we will be able to make a creative contribution to this world. In the name and spirit of Jesus we pray. (p. 97)

4) Prayer to increase the number of persons of good will and moral sensitivity

O God, make us willing to do your will, come what may. Increase the number of persons of good will and moral sensitivity. Give us renewed confidence in nonviolence and the way of love as taught by Christ. Amen. (p. 119)

Adapted from “Thou, Dear God”: Prayers That Open Hearts and Spirits, The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by Lewis V. Baldwin (Beacon Press, 2014)

Pray with a Russian Pilgrim

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Bob Hostetler

You may have heard of the “Jesus Prayer.” It is a short prayer, also sometimes called “the prayer of the heart.” It is rooted in Psalm 123:3, Luke 18:13, and Luke 18:38, and in its most complete form is “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” I wrote about it in my post, 10 Breath Prayers.

However, you may not be aware of a book about the Jesus Prayer that is a classic of Christian spirituality and, in particular, Eastern Orthodox Christianity. In fact, the manuscript was discovered and copied by an Orthodox abbot at Mount Athos in the 19th century. It was first published in 1884 under the title, “Sincere Tales of a Pilgrim to His Spiritual Father.” Today it is known as The Way of a Pilgrim.

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It is an anonymous account of an early 19th century Russian Christian’s spiritual journey. He tells how one day in church he heard Paul’s exhortation (in 1 Thessalonians 5:17) to “pray without ceasing” and wondered (as many modern Christians do) if such a thing were possible.

He began asking others about Paul’s words, thus beginning a quest to learn to pray constantly (via a mystical tradition in Eastern Orthodoxy known as hesychasm).

The anonymous pilgrim wanders all over Russia while praying the Jesus Prayer. He progresses from praying those words hundreds of times a day to thousands of times, until the words were woven into his heart. He describes his pursuit like this:

That is how I go about now, and ceaselessly repeat the prayer of Jesus, which is more precious and sweet to me than anything in the world. At times I do as much as forty-three or four miles a day and do not feel that I am walking at all. I am aware only of the fact that I am saying my prayer.

When the bitter cold pierces me, I begin to say my prayer more earnestly, and I quickly get warm all over. When hunger begins to overcome me, I call more often on the name of Jesus, and I forget my wish for food. When I fall ill and get rheumatism in my back and legs, I fix my thoughts on the prayer and do not notice the pain. If anyone harms me I have only to think, “How sweet is the prayer of Jesus!” and the injury and anger alike pass away and I forget it all.

I have become a sort of half-conscious person….Thus, although I have not yet reached that ceaseless spiritual prayer which is self-acting in the heart, yet I thank God I do now understand the meaning of those words I heard in the Epistle–“Pray without ceasing.”

The Way of a Pilgrim introduced me not only to the Eastern practice of hesychastic prayer, but also to the Philokalia, a collection of spiritual writings by 36 Orthodox authors (such as Peter of Damascus and Symeon the New Theologian) from the 4th through the 15th centuries. It would make an illuminating devotional companion to the spiritual classic, The Practice of the Presence of God.

Have you read The Way of a Pilgrim? Have you prayed the Jesus Prayer? Does the Russian pilgrim’s experience sound strange to you? Or inviting? Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think of this post.

Pray with a Coloring Book

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Bob Hostetler

Almost no one in publishing saw it coming.

Many of the hottest-selling books of 2015 are coloring books. You read that right, coloring books. But these are not your childhood coloring books. Some feature detailed floral designs or geometric patterns. Others specialize in cats, dogs, landscapes or seascapes. But they all provide intricate line illustrations to be colored in. Some coloring samples are even available free online.

Many therapists and counselors recommend “adult coloring books” as coping mechanisms to relieve stress or aid mindfulness. But they can also be an accompaniment to prayer.

There are numerous ways to pair the physical act of coloring with the spiritual act of prayer. For example, you might obtain a coloring book of inspirational designs or Bible verses and, as you color each one, let the design guide your thoughts and words.

Or, use the colors of your crayons, pencils or markers to suggest the pattern of your prayers. For example, while coloring in purple (a “royal” color), praise God as your King and Lord. When using a red crayon, talk to God about the things you’d like to stop doing or stop suffering or experiencing. When you pick up a green crayon, talk about things you’d like God to add or allow in your life. Yellow for confession, maybe. Brown for thanks and blue for supplication and intercession. And so on.

You can even pray in color with others. Invite a few friends to color with you and, whether you each color a different image or the same design, speak and sing your prayers to God as suggested by the movement of your hands and the beauty unfolding before your eyes.

Or devote different sections of your page or designs in the pattern to the people for whom you want to pray. For example, while coloring the large flower in the upper corner, pray for Calleigh. While coloring the next flower, pray for Miles. And so on.

You don’t have to feel pressure to finish a page or design in one sitting or to “accomplish” anything. It’s not about completion; it’s about communion.

Pray to Love as Jesus Loved

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Peola Hicks

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35)

Last year I had the opportunity to travel to Israel. It was a dream come true. We visited a lot of places, but I was amazed when we walked through the Garden of Gethsemane and later witnessed the place where Jesus was crucified. Although I know how the story ends, I thought about how love showed itself by hanging on a cross.

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Jesus’ life was not taken from him. He freely gave up his life because of love. Love is not just an emotion; it is a commitment. Jesus committed his life to save the lives of those he created. He could not stand to see an entire world perish. He did not do it without giving us a challenge: “Love one another; as I have loved you.” I can understand the “love one another” part, but “as I have loved you”… this is where I struggle.

Jesus loved in spite of the treatment he received from others. The night of his final decision to do the Father’s will, he was betrayed and denied not by his enemies, but by his friends. After Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray him, he still called him friend when they came to arrest him in the garden. The way Jesus loved is so beyond what my mind can comprehend. Jesus loved us because he knew that nothing short of unconditional love would cause our sins to be fully forgiven.

It is now my turn to pray as Jesus did in the garden. I must ask God to help me love others. My prayer is not to love others as they love me, but to love them as Jesus loved us. He looked beyond the offenses and found a sense of peace in doing the Father’s will. That was his total focus. I pray for a willing heart to forgive during and after an offense. I want to be known as a disciple of Christ. Let’s pray for each other.

God bless you!

Pray Through Sorrows

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Rick Hamlin

My life will be going along fine, no big worries, no overwhelming concerns, and then something will hit, some inexplicable pain, some emotional roadblock, and I feel like storming the heavens. And I do, asking God why, repeating myself, badgering him until I grow weary of it.

Then I’ll hear someone blithely say, “It’s too bad we only speak to God when we really need him. He must miss us during those other times.”

OK, sure. But then I think of my kids, now in their twenties, who go through life swimmingly most of the time, rarely calling out for help or advice or even money. Sending the occasional email or showing a photo on Facebook. If I don’t hear from them for days at a time, that’s OK. But when they’re in any sort of pain, when they’re struggling or lonely or experiencing heartache and reach out, I’m so grateful they come to me. That’s what it means to be a dad.

Surely our heavenly father must feel the same way, even if we haven’t talked to him in days. Even if we haven’t been on speaking terms at all. Particularly then. (Remember the parable of the Prodigal Son? Remember how thrilled the father was when his wastrel of a boy finally returned?)

Our pastor recently used a phrase I love: “Prayer is a way to metabolize sorrow.” Sorrow that goes untreated can do dreadful harm. It can turn into anger, depression, resentment, despair. Pray through your sorrows. Talk through them endlessly. Bug God as long as you like. Do it until you think you bore him (not sure that’s possible). Talk to your friends too, but if you’re like me, there’s some stuff you only want to tell God.

Prayer is a way to metabolize sorrow. Use it.

Pray the Seven Words of Jesus from the Cross

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Bob Hostetler

There are many ways to observe Good Friday, the day that commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion, His willing sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Some people will participate in special worship services. Some churches will host three hours of prayer and worship intended to reflect the sufferings of Jesus on the cross. Some people will fast. Others will pray through the Stations of the Cross.

Whatever you may do, consider praying through the “Seven Words” Jesus uttered during His agony. Here is a way to do that:

1) Extend forgiveness.
In the midst of His execution, Jesus prayed for those whose very actions would cause not only His pain but also His death: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, NIV). So, like Jesus, pray for those who have hurt you or offended you and ask for the grace to forgive and to keep on forgiving, as often and as long as necessary.

2) Pray for others to draw closer to God.
To the repentant thief who was crucified next to Him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43, NIV). How fitting that even as He was dying, Jesus was escorting someone into eternal life. So take a few moments on your Good Friday to pray for those among your family and friends who have not yet experienced the love and life that is found through faith in Jesus Christ.

3) Pray for those in need.
John’s Gospel records Jesus taking the time and effort—from the cross!—to place His mother, Mary, into the care of His faithful follower, John: “Woman, here is your son” (John 19:26, NIV). That striking and intimate detail reminds us that Jesus cares for our practical wellbeing. So, like Jesus, who asked John to care for Mary, take thought on Good Friday for others and pray for the practical needs of those around you.

4) Pray for the lonely.
When Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34, NIV), He was echoing the abandonment and desperation of the messianic Psalm 22. That loneliness afflicts many in your community, and perhaps even in your church and family. So spend some time praying for the lonely people around you and ask Jesus to make Himself known to them and be especially close to them.

5) Pray for those in pain.
Jesus experienced extreme dehydration while on the cross. His thirst would have been excruciating (that word itself comes from the horrors of crucifixion). So He cried out, “I thirst!” (John 19:28, NKJV). Let Jesus’ shortest saying from the cross prompt prayers for those who are in pain—those in the hospital, in rehab, in sick beds or undergoing treatment.

6) Place yourself in God’s hands.
Jesus quoted another psalm (31:5) when He prayed, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Luke 23:46, NIV). There is no better time than Good Friday to consciously and reverently place yourself in God’s hands—to surrender anew your spirit, your life, your concerns, your future, your hopes and dreams into His loving and omnipotent care.

7) Give thanks for Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice.
Jesus’ last words on the cross—“It is finished!” (John 19:30, NIV)—are rich in meaning. At that very hour—perhaps that very moment—the Pascal Lamb was killed in the Temple. As the high priest sacrificed the lamb, he spoke a single word in Hebrew—Kalah—signifying the ultimate sacrifice of the day. The word means “It is finished.” Jesus, with His dying breath, identified Himself as “Christ, our Passover lamb” (1 Corinthians 5:7). The work is done. There is no work left for you to do. Nothing to prove. Nothing to earn. No striving. No “try,” only “take.” So give thanks.

However else you may observe Good Friday, make it a day of prayer and gratitude, as exemplified in the “seven words from the cross.”

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Pray the Bible

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by sciancanellis

You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to pray God’s Word effectively. In fact, all you need is the simple, childlike faith that God really will speak to you through the Scriptures, as well as a system that gets you in the pages of the Bible on a regular basis. Here are a few suggestions for making reading and praying the Bible a regular part of your life.

Have a regular time for prayer. If you delay your daily praying until you have time for it, it won’t happen. Prayer needs to be as important in your routine as eating, sleeping, and personal hygiene. Set a time to meet with God–ﬁve minutes, ten minutes, ﬁfteen minutes, whatever–and then be ruthless about protecting it

Have a regular place for prayer. If possible, have a specific place where you meet with God. It could be at your kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee, in a cozy chair in your living room, or at an office desk. But when it comes to prayer, familiarity breeds intimacy. You don’t want new sights, sounds, and settings distracting you from your conversation with God.

Have a regular system for prayer. I believe that it’s good to know in advance where you’re going to read in the Bible. The sixty-six books of the Bible offer countless prayers for ourselves and our loved ones.

If you can, try to have a reading plan that gets you all the way through the Bible in a year. But don’t force it. Be open to the Spirit’s guidance on what to read.

Praying the Psalms never gets old. My life and the lives of those I love have been greatly impacted because of the powerful pinpoint prayers I’ve been able to pray from the Psalms. When you read the Bible, look for statements of what you want to be true in your life.

Read with your spiritual eyes open. As you read through the verses of a particular chapter, don’t be in a hurry. The goal is not just to get to the end. You’re looking for treasure. You’re looking for verses that jump off the page. You’re looking for promises that connect with your passions.

As you read, listen for the gentle nudge of God’s Holy Spirit. Ask him to speak to you through the text. Occasionally you’ll hear him say, “I want to do this in you,” or, “You need to pray this verse for your life.” So right then, stop and write your initials next to that verse. Then, every time you read that chapter or open your Bible to that page, you’ll be reminded to pray God’s Word back to him.

My Bible has become more than my prayer guide; it’s my prayer script. I never have to worry about what I’m going to say to God about a certain subject. The answer is always right there in his Word.

Pray “Secret Agent” Prayers

Posted on March 11, 2026March 13, 2026 by Bob Hostetler

You probably don’t celebrate May Day, do you?

As a holiday, it dates back to pre-Christian days in many cultures and countries (particularly in Europe), as a celebration of summer’s arrival. (Once upon a time, February 1 was marked as the first day of spring, and May 1 as the first day of summer; the summer solstice, by which we herald the first day of summer, marked “midsummer.”)

Over time, May Day became a largely secular celebration in Europe and North America, where it was marked by such traditions as dancing around the “maypole” and crowning the “May Queen.”

At one time, however, a popular May Day custom was the making and giving of “May Baskets”— small arrangements of flowers or sweet treats that were left on a doorstep, while the anonymous giver rang the bell and ran off. If the person receiving the basket managed to catch the giver, however, a kiss was to be exchanged.

While the custom of “May Baskets” has disappeared, I’d like to suggest a prayer experiment that is somewhat similar. Frank Laubach wrote, in his classic volume, Prayer—The Mightiest Force in the World:

Some of us who travel much have hundreds of days when we can sit behind people in street cars, trains, stations, restaurants, concerts or lectures, and pray at the back of their heads with our eyes open to see how many of them show signs of being aware.

Some time ago, I was looking at a man sitting by an open window half a block away. I shot a rapid fire of prayer at him, saying three or four times a second: “Jesus, friend—Jesus is coming to you.” In thirty seconds that man put his head in his hands and bent down over his desk as though in prayer. Flashing hard and straight prayers in a street car while repeating, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” usually makes some of the people near you act as though they had been spoken to. If they do not respond the first time, you can return again and again, until they show signs of being “tuned in.” They look at you curiously, often smile, and frequently say something. All Christians should acquire this habit. I will try to describe how it feels. It seems to me I am pushing these prayers from my breast and fingers, as well as from my brain—from my whole nervous system. I find myself exhaling a little through my nose with each pressure. After a while, the car or room seems gently “excited,” like the magnetic field around a magnet. Everyone behaves like an old friend. People seem to like us to pray for them….

Far from making one tired, this prayer for others is the finest tonic I know. When you are utterly tired from work or study, walk out into the street and flash prayers at people. Your nerves will tingle with the inflow from heaven. Prayer “is twice blest. It blesses him that gives and him that receives.” If you want an experience full of profit and stimulus, take a day off and ride incognito in the buses or street cars of your city, flashing strong, fast prayers at people one by one, and nothing results. Do this hundreds—if possible, thousands—of times, observing what percentage of them get your broadcast.

Sound crazy? Try it. Leave a “May Basket” of prayer for someone. See if any of your anonymous prayers seem to have an effect on the person you target. See if such “secret agent” prayers can actually (as Laubach claimed) change the climate in a room or subway car.

Remember, however, that unlike a “May Basket,” you don’t owe a kiss to those who “catch” you praying for them!