A Call to Prayer

My wife and I were at the airport, going home from a trip to New York City. In the check-in area, we went to get a wheelchair for my wife. While waiting, we noticed the other people around us, including one woman in bright, festive colors — red, blue, yellow, and purple — with a head covering and shawl. Her husband stood next to her in the waiting area.

After some time, he took out of his duffel bag what looked to me like a towel. I thought, What is he going to do with that? He laid it out on the floor and stood facing a certain direction. Then he knelt down, touching his head to the ground. At this point I realized he was doing his daily prayers — with a prayer mat, not a towel. He continued praying as my wife and I waited for a wheelchair.

I admired this man’s devotion, especially in a busy airport. As I watched him pray, I felt compelled to recite Psalm 23 silently to myself. First Thessalonians 5:17 calls us to pray without ceasing. At first this may seem like a daunting challenge, but many things can prompt us to pray: a siren, a news story, a person in pain — or the opportunity to witness someone else’s prayer life in an unexpected place.