In the summer of 2017, Lauren and I visited Northern Ireland with my mom (and in a few short days we will make our return, God willing). We were blessed to stay with my mom’s best friend, Susan, and her husband, Steve. Steve has a thick Irish accent, so much so that even though he was speaking English, I needed Susan to interpret what he was saying. I think it took two full days before I could actually understand him. 

The Irish love tea, of course, and Steve is no exception. It was during one of our evenings together, in the coziness of the home of our friends, that Steve offered us tea—and he makes a good cuppa.

My mom, having lived in the United Kingdom, would not say no. Lauren, always appreciative of warm drinks, would not say no. Me? Well, I’m not much of a beverage person, so it crossed my mind to say no. But before I could, Steve, possibly anticipating his American friends’ naivete around tea, made a point of saying that if someone offers you tea in Ireland, you don’t say no.

That statement stayed with me. It was a cultural learning moment. And as I reflect on it through the lens of prayer, I realize a valuable lesson: Prayer is like tea in Ireland—if someone asks if you want it, you don’t say no. 

In Ireland, their culture around tea is Yes. It’s more than hospitality, it’s what they do. It’s not just that it’s a given that the Irish are going to offer tea, it’s a given that Steve was going to have tea regardless. It’s what he does on his own, with his wife, with his friends, with coworkers, and even with strangers. He loves it!

What if we were like this with prayer? If we recognized praying for others as the hospitable and loving thing to do, how much would God move in our homes, our churches, our communities, and the world? And how much more if we learned to love prayer like Steve loves tea! As Steve well knows, there is even more joy found in the sharing of it.

Oh, let's pray like the Irish drink tea.

1) What if someone asks how they can pray for us and we don’t have a specific request? 

Humbly know that it is not a question of if we need prayer. We need prayer. There is not one thing in our lives that we can do by our own power. And there is nothing too small or too much for God; He’s sovereign over it all and he's intimately involved with it all. We need God. Don’t abide prayerless, proud, self-reliance.

But if a specific request doesn't come to mind when we are asked for our prayer request, we can still give an answer after we check our hearts. Do we need to grow in trusting and hoping in God? Thankfulness and rejoicing in the Lord? Love and care for others? Boldness and courage in sharing the Gospel? Wisdom and discernment in a decision? Protection and purity in temptation? We can always ask for prayer that we become more like Christ. It is God’s will that we be sanctified (1 Thess. 4:1-8; 1 Pet. 1:14-16); He is faithful to do this.

2 Corinthians 3:18
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.