How many times have you heard or even used yourself, the phrase; "All we can do is pray"? Well, I too used to say this more than I care to admit. Many times we don't really mean that prayer is the last resort, but it sure sounds like it when we put it that way. The other day my husband and I were talking about prayer and discussing a couple we know who are new to the Christian faith. They don't know many other Christians and we realized that we weren't praying for them very consistently. In fact not near often enough. It occurred to us that we may be the only ones praying for them at all! What an eye-opener that was; to think that if we were the only ones, we weren't doing a very good job of it!
As we reflected on our own lives and the work that was accomplished through the power of prayer, we were reminded of just how privileged we are to pray for others and that it is also a responsibility that is far too overlooked. Prayer is not at all "the last resort" but should be the very first thing that we do...daily! And not just for ourselves, but for others. In fact, prayer for others should be at the top of our list.
Another common occurrence is to say "I'll pray for you" when in reality it may never cross our mind again. I am guilty of this offence as well! I caught myself doing this regularly and because God impressed upon me that what I was doing was lying, I have made a decent effort to do as I promise. Is either of these scenarios familiar in your life? If not, kudos to you! But if so, then take a few minutes to reflect on God's Word and the emphasis God places on prayer. Look up the following verses to see what He has to say regarding prayer. James 5:13-18, Matthew 7:7-11, Ephesians 6:18, 2nd Chronicles 30:27, Ezra 8:23, 1st Thessalonians 5:17 and all of Jonah 2. These are only a few of the verses that will be listed in a concordance but they will give you an idea of just what prayer means to God...and should mean to us!
Prayer shouldn't feel like a burden; it should be something that we desire and look forward to. It is conversation with the Lord and King of the universe. That should be exciting! On top of that, we get to bring our requests to Him and our concerns. He tells us that He will not only hear our prayers, but answer them too! Not according to our will but His and that is even better because we can depend on His will being perfect. I don't know about you, but I have learned over the years that my will is NOT perfect! Prayer can lead to physical healing, spiritual healing and God's imparted wisdom. It doesn't get much better than that. So, I hope that you have a fresh view of prayer and the work that can be accomplished by it through the power of God Almighty!
NOTE: A very good book on prayer is: Effective Prayer Life written by Chuck Smith. It is a quick read and one of those books that should be read every year or so to refresh your perspective on prayer. You can visit his web site at www.twft.com (twft=The Word for Today)
2 comments:
Thank you for your post. It did made me think about my prayer life. Don't know about you, but my prayers tend to be more like petitions, praying for my needs, needs of my family and friends, and those in the church. Whereas prayer is a conversation with God and as such it is so much bigger. The question is do I pray because I'm ought to as a good Christian or do I pray because I want to spend time with my God, Creator, Saviour and Friend. It has been the main barometer for me for a number of years. Being genuine is the most important thing to me and I want to come to God with no expectations other than learn about Him and get closer to Him.
Thank you again for getting me focused again. Also thanks for the book reference. I'll check this book out. In return, I would like to share the book that changed my world of prayer. It's Steve Brown's "Approaching God". I was presented with this book many years ago and am forever endebted to that person. I hope you find it helpful, too. Kamilla
What a great reminder of what prayer is with God and why we do it. I too, can allow it to be something I check off my list, but is that the way I feel about my conversations with loved ones? Hopefully not! And it shouldn't be with God! I appreciate your insight and wisdom. Also, thank you for the book suggestion. I will look for it.
May God bless you and keep you,
C. Mallory
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