There is an old idea a friend recently mentioned to me. Creating a prayer box. Prayer jars and boxes were popular as gifts a couple of decades ago. At the time, I made a few for my loved ones. My mom still has hers and mentions it, every once in a while, when it is a blessing to her. It is a blessing to me that something I put together with love and a little faith still blesses.

When I say a “little faith” I am talking about the time in my life when I returned to the Lord. My need for him was strong. My faith was as little as that little mustard seed. I also made a prayer jar for myself. But unlike mom I don’t know where it is right now. Maybe I will find it one day soon as I clean out my “storehouse.” {big smile}

“²⁰ So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” [Matthew 17:20]”

At that time in my life, I was wary and unsure of my God even though he walked me through the rough times. I thought I had to be strong while God handled the spiritual side. Without a deep relationship with God, I was empty inside. Building prayer jars for gifts drew me closer to my Savior. Because, to build a prayer jar, you need to look at God’s words.

I don’t know what the current instructions are for building a prayer jar or box. I’ve even seen some “Prayer Boxes,” actually tins, for sale, with cards neatly printed on card stock. They have boxes for moms, kids, illness, etc. It is a good gift for someone struggling or in need of encouragement. But if you have the time or the inclination, here is another idea:

The ones I remember were more home spun. First pick out a jar or box. My mom’s is a fat squat vase-type glass. The instructions I saw from a magazine said use any container you can reach your hand into and pull out a slip of paper.

Then decide what might encourage to your loved one. It can be a jar of prayers, a box of promises, a vase of affirmations, or a mix of what you or your friend might need. The idea is to tailor the gift to the recipient with God’s words. I found the process also brought me closer to God. Imagine that!

The last step is to gather the slips of paper and put them in the container. My “jars” were simple. On the computer, I created a page in plain text for each person, putting a couple of spaces between each prayer, affirmation, or scripture. Over a few weeks, I collected verses, prayers, and encouragements from the Bible and devotions. I printed the page and hand cut them, putting the slips in the jar, and shook it. Then, I tied a ribbon on the container and prayed for my friend. That was it. The jars, boxes, verses, and prayers can be decorated any way that suits you. They can be handwritten or printed on cards. The thing is make it personal. This only describes what I made. Honestly, for me picking out the prayers for each person took the most time.

My friend got me thinking of these gifts. The last few years have been tough. And in my walk with God during this time, he has given me many promises and prayers. He started several years ago with Jeremiah 29:11.² That one verse gives me hope through this dark period in history. I have verses marked throughout my Bible. Papers with prayers I have handwritten or printed out clutter my desk drawers. My friend’s discussion made me think, I need to gather these together and make jars with all this scattered stuff. Then the most amazing thing happened.

A couple of weeks ago, I was going through storage and I found two large vintage glass jars that I am not using anymore. The Holy Spirit bumped my arm like an old friend and whispered, One for prayers and one for promises. Tears sprung to my eyes. I won’t forget His encouragement if I can read them a little each day as I pluck a slip or two of paper out of the jar and remind myself how much God loves me. Please pray with me:

Heavenly Father, You have given us Your Words to guide us through these dark days. As the forces of evil threaten our very lives, You offer us Your Holy Spirit and Promises. Thank you for the Promise you gave me this week in Isaiah 41:8-11.

⁸ “But you, Israel, are My servant,

Jacob whom I have chosen,

The descendants of Abraham My friend.

⁹ You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,

And called from its farthest regions,

And said to you,

‘You are My servant,

I have chosen you and have not cast you away:

¹⁰ Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

¹¹ “Behold, all those who were incensed against you

Shall be ashamed and disgraced;

They shall be as nothing,

And those who strive with you shall perish.”

Thank you, Lord, for grafting³ us, who believe into your vine and blessing us with your promises. You are righteous and just; the Lord God of Hosts! In Yeshua’s name, Amen. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, amen.

Yes, this is the first promise in my promise jar. May God show you His promises for you,

Milly

Footnotes:

¹ All scripture is from the New King James Version: Prophecy Study Bible New King James Version, Editor John C. Hagee © 1997 by Thomas Nelson, a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

² Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

³ Romans 11:11-18: ^{11 “}I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. ¹² Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

¹⁶ For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.”