There are many people in this world that will voice their prayers to Jesus in an audible voice that people around them can hear and understand. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with this. When you speak with someone else, the conversation is always going to be something that others can hear, unless of course, you are using sign language.
Many years ago my wife and I were returning from a conference in Dallas, TX. Our flight from Dallas to Memphis was on a big jet however; our flight from Memphis to Tupelo, MS was on a smaller twin engine passenger plane. Most of us that have flown quite a bit would refer to these smaller aircraft as “puddle jumpers”. This plane held up to 20 to 25 passengers.
My wife and I had enjoyed our trip so far. A bit of uneasiness came over us as we sat at our gate waiting to get on our plane home. We did not know the size or type of plane we would be boarding but we found out really quick it wouldn’t be a large jet.
Moments before we were to board two pilots walked in front of us, and the rest of the passengers waiting to board, and said, “If you want to go to Tupelo, follow us.” A bit of anxiety started to creep in when we were led down the stairs and out on the tarmac. For all I knew we may be boarding a bus for a ride home but after a brisk 50 to 75 yard walk we saw our “puddle jumper” and climbed on.
It was a beautiful sunny day and the pilot spoke over the loud speaker that we had clear weather for our 45 minute trip. Once we were in the air we could see the ground and I could tell he was following Highway 78 from Memphis to Tupelo. My wife and I relaxed back in our seats, closed our eyes, and listened to some of the conversations of the business men that were behind us.
Each and every time I travel, whether with my wife or family, I am in constant communication with the Lord asking for guidance, traveling mercies, and God speed. I pray for the people around me that should they not know Jesus as their personal Savior, that they would come to know Him personally. Many times if I am traveling alone I will speak in an audible voice to the Lord. When I am around people, unless I am called on to pray out loud, I will speak to the Lord through a silent voice.
Half way through our trip from Memphis to Tupelo we started feeling some turbulence and the plane started bouncing around. Even though we only had approximately ten more minutes in the air, our clear weather had suddenly become a fierce storm with lightning and loud claps of thunder all around us. The only message we received from the pilot was to insure that we stay in our seats and secure our seat belts around us. Even with our seat belts secured tightly around us we hit some kind of wind that caused us to bounce so hard that our heads hit the ceiling of the plane. With this Linda was speaking in a very audible voice praying to God to protect us and give us continued safety on our trip.
I leaned over to her and said, “People around us can hear you. You may want to voice these prayers silently.” The men behind us said, “Please let her continue to pray out loud.” The people in front of us echoed their desire to hear the prayers as well.
The pilot did an exceptional job of landing that plane in Tupelo bringing us through the storm that tossed us around tremendously. I am sure that his prayers were flowing to God as well as ours and others.
When we deplaned the men told us thanks for the prayers and they felt it was what got us down safely. It is my hope that these men knew Jesus personally and due to their stature of being business people didn’t want someone looking at them as religious over business. If they didn’t know Him personally, I hope they found their way.
We acknowledged to the pilot what a good job he did getting us down safely and he said, “It wasn’t me but the good Lord above.” I am so glad he is a Christian and talks with the Lord regularly.
Praying out loud bothers some people. They are not opposed to it and relish in it when someone else is speaking to the Lord in a very audible voice. Many times non-Christians hear our prayers and appreciate them as well. None of us should ever be ashamed of talking with the Lord, whether it is an audible prayer or a silent one.
