“I’ve heard Mark Dever say that we should pray so much in our church gatherings that the nonbelievers get bored. We talk too much to a God they don’t believe in” (Prayer: How Praying Together Shapes the Church, 15).

I think what I find so convicting about this quote is that I have felt awkward for the opposite reason. I have wanted others to not feel bored because of prayer. How backward of me.

But I think we could extend the quote to the personal level as well. What if every time I had coffee with a friend I let them know that I am praying for them? Would it hurt our relationship if they knew I was speaking to a God they didn’t believe in on their behalf? I don’t think so, at least it hasn’t yet.

If I believe God to be who he says he is, then one of the most loving things I could ever do for my friend or neighbor is pray for them, and to let them know that I am praying. Anything less than that should inform my friend about what I truly think about them, or my God.