The Five-Finger Prayer Plan
The best man God ever created was my dad. He lived to be 96 years old. He spent the biggest part of his life in the Panama City area. He ministered to everybody regardless of their education level, economic status, denominational affiliation, social status, race, etc. He was known as the Pope of the Panhandle.
My brother George and I finally talked him into moving to Montgomery to Wesley Gardens. A friend sent his private plane to Panama City to make the trip easier for him. From his residence to the airport was about four miles. He had a police escort. Folks lined the roadways and schools let out for the kids to come wave goodbye to him. I thought we were in a presidential parade!
He preached almost every Sunday until he was over 90 years old. He had one sermon that he preached hundreds of times. He called it the “5-Finger Prayer Plan.” It was his plan for praying.
He would hold up his hand and say…
- The Thumb is closest to you, so prayer begins with members of your family, small groups, and close friends, etc.
- The Pointing Finger. This is the one we use to point to people or to give directions. Pray for all people in places of leadership, politically, religiously, economically, etc. Pray for our leaders who are pointing out the way that we need to go. Pray for teachers and preachers who are pointing to the truths of life.
- The Longest Finger. When you hold up your hand, the middle finger is the longest. Pray for people who can make the longest, lasting influence. Pray for the difference-makers you know.
- The Ring Finger. We are told that this is our weakest finger. Pray for the poor, the weak, the handicapped, the homeless, etc. It also bears the wedding ring, so pray for your spouse.
- The Pinkie Finger. This is the smallest finger. This is a time to pray for yourself. When we learn to pray for others before we pray for ourselves, it puts us in a better position to ask God to take our small gifts and turn them into big opportunities. Pray that you may decrease in order for Him to increase!
This was my Dad’s plan for praying. He used it every day. He preached about it everywhere.
When the Promise Keepers event came to the football stadium in Atlanta several years ago, Frazer chartered 30 buses to take men to Atlanta. One of the most impressive pictures I have seen was by a photographer who was on the I85 overpass at the Tallassee exit. His picture showed those thirty buses in line filled with men going to a Promise Keepers event. My dad went with my son, Si, Albert Long and me.
The stadium was packed, and we got there early in order to get a seat on a lower level. As I was sitting there with a group of our men, I heard a loud voice in the upper deck yelling, “Brother Si, Brother Si, I pray every day the 5-Finger Plan for prayer.” Thousands of men saw and heard him and started asking and talking about the 5-Finger Plan for prayer.
I commend it to you. Look at your hand every day and be reminded of how to pray. This plan will help you concentrate, be specific, be inclusive, and learn about God’s plan and purpose for you. If it doesn’t help your spiritual growth, let me know and I will take it up with my dad when I see him in Heaven. I’ll tell him I found one person where his model for praying didn’t work.
Let us pray.
