It is getting to that time in the week, the day when I feel the most tired, anxious, and busy. Work likes to schedule meetings on that day. Sometimes I can make it to prayer meeting, sometimes not. Sometimes I purposefully stay home, or at least my heart wants to while I'm driving halfway there. Just turn around, head back home to silence and warm tea and bed.

Here are thoughts on the importance of attending the mid week prayer meeting.

Prayer meeting reminds you that you are not the only person going through difficult or impossible times.

The prayer requests remind you that your troubles are not the worst troubles that a person can go through.

The praise reports remind you of God, who answers prayer. God, who listens to man.

The burden of hurt reminds you to be an intercessor on behalf of others. It also reminds you of Jesus, our great intercession, who alone has the power to heal, to mend relationships, to grant safety and salvation.

The joy of testimonies from the Saints remind you to praise God, from whom all blessings flow, and to find the blessing in all circumstances.

Prayer meeting reminds you to humble yourself before God, to see the overwhelming scope of tragedy, sin, failure, sickness, and lostness, and to render yourself on your knees, with the prayers of your fellow saints next to you, in submission to God and His Will and His goodness.

It reminds you that where seven, five, or even two, are gathered in His name, God shows up. And you should be where God is. Prayer meeting is an open invitation to gather where God gives strength, renewal for the remainder of the week, a reminder of the battle going on.

It's a refuge, for one hour, against Satan, the roaring lion outside the door. The refuge is God, in whom we commit our trust through Jesus and His work.

Many of these meetings include a short devotional. These devotionals are, in my church, full of humble and sincere submission to the Word of God. Brief charges to continue the fight, to look on Christ's work and the Father's nature. These are blessings, reminders together of who we are. We are the body of Christ. We are not individuals out to sea with a list of duties. We are the body and we need each other. To meet and pray, as a church, is a blessing.