Several Christian men who had been touched by the Lord decided to do something practical for their pastor: pray for him. What is so unusual about that, you might ask. Well, for one particular pastor, it was a brand new sensation.
These few laymen had just returned from a Bible study that encouraged them to approach their pastor and tell him that they were committing to pray for him on a regular basis. They liked their pastor but had never thought that such a "great man of God" needed their awkward prayers. After all, they were just laymen and he was the pastor.
During their appointment with their pastor, they shared with him what God had led them to do. In response to their offer, the pastor took a deep breath and told them a sad truth: "In all of my fifteen years of being in the ministry, no group of men have ever come to me to tell me that they were praying for me." He was truly touched by their Christian love; and make no mistake about it, from that day forward he preached, pastored, and prayed with a greater confidence knowing that he was not in the battle alone.