Years ago as a local pastor, i recruited men in the church to be part of a crew that i called “The Pastor’s Prayer Patrol.” At one time 49 men had signed their names to the roster.
i asked only two things of the men: 1. Pray for me at least one day each week and 2. Pray with me whenever possible at our once-a-week Thursday 6:10 a.m. Dawn Patrol Prayertime at the local church. It revolutionized us as men and it revitalized the ministry God had entrusted to us as Jesus-believers, together.
i often gave visible tokens to these dedicated men to remind them how essential prayer was. One such token i once gave to each man was a roped-bracelet. The story of the roped-bracelet was first shared with me by a historian at a lifesaving station along the coastline of my native Outer Banks, yes, overlooking the Graveyard of the Atlantic. He shared how seamen of old believed it to be bad luck to learn to swim. The crews believed that to learn to swim would mean to ask for a boat-sinking somewhere along their sea journey. Yes, that was pure superstition. But not the roped-bracelet part.
The roped-bracelets were worn by each crew member in case the ship did sink or they might fall into the waves and/or be knocked unconscious overboard, whereby another crew member could save them from drowning by catching the roped-bracelet with a boat hook and thereby pull them from a watery grave.
As prayermen we wore the roped-bracelets for years as a visible reminder that we really do need each other especially in prayer.
Well, yesterday in Cape May, N.J., i happened into a nautical-themed shop and lo and behold they had roped-bracelets for sale. i purchased a navy blue one and told the sales clerk a short version of the roped-bracelet seaman’s story. She smiled knowing she will probably now sell some more. Amen and Amen.
Praying Always.
Pastor Kerry Willis
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