When I was a kid, my mom taught us to stop and say a little silent prayer whenever we saw or heard emergency vehicles obviously in a hurry to get somewhere. No matter if it was a police office pulling someone over, or a fire/ambulance rushing to rescue someone…mom made it clear that prayers for safety and wisdom were needed.
I’ve kept with this tradition my whole life, even when I wasn’t doing the whole “God thing” for well, most of my 20s. It was always limited to those vehicles with lights and sirens going, however.
About a year ago, I had to be transported from one hospital to another via ambulance and I hoped people going down the road thought to pray for me. I found myself almost wishing that they would turn on the lights at least so someone who had been taught the same way I had been would pray for me. Since that incident, I’ve tried to remember to say a little prayer every time I see an ambulance, even if it’s running “quiet.” After all, ambulances don’t just drive around like taxis. They only run when they have a patient, right? So even if it’s not an emergency, they have someone in the back that is sick enough that they can’t drive themselves to the hospital.
When I was driving home on the interstate tonight I passed one of those “Wide Load” trucks that was carrying a manufactured home (we called ’em mobile homes when I was a kid). We’ve all seen them, although they are less common nowadays I’ve been told.
I realized I had seen a whole train of similar looking homes all heading north and I wondered if they were relief homes for people who lost their houses in the Joplin tornado. It made me stop and say a little prayer for the family that would be receiving that home. I prayed that it would be a place of refuge, a place of healing. Then it hit me… isn’t ANY home needed as a place of refuge and healing? It made me vow to try and remember to pray a similar prayer every time I see a manufactured home being driven down the road.
So what are little moments like these that remind you to pray for a stranger? Will you open your eyes and heart to find moments when you can consistently lift your fellow humans in prayer?
My mom taught me the same thing! Even now when I see a fire truck, ambulance or police car I pray for wherever they are going and for safety for them too! Thanks for the good reminder! I think that I’ll start to do this out loud so my boys will grow up knowing to do that. it’s an easy to remember to pray for people.