In America today, the importance of prayer has been reduced to practically nothing. Sure, we might pray before a meal, and occasionally pray for somebody having a surgery, but the idea of sacrificial prayer is far from the mind of the average American. The picture of prayer that we receive in the Bible isn’t giving a passing request to God, it is spending time talking with Him like you would a man standing right next to you.
Think of the person that you look up to most on Earth, whether that be skilled speaker, a movie star or maybe musician. Now image that they picked up the phone, called you and said they wanted to meet up for lunch to talk. You would be ecstatic! You wouldn’t be sitting all through the meal waiting for the boring conversation to end, you would be totally enveloped in focus by such a conversation. So many times, we forget that this is exactly what God wants to do. The God of the whole universe, maker of every single thing, the one from whom no molecule can stray without His knowledge, THAT supreme being and definer of existence says to you “Let’s meet up and talk”. We should be overwhelmed that such a one wants to talk to us, let alone with us.
If talking with the maker of existence isn’t enough motivation for us to pray, we can also see that the scriptures command us to be devoted by prayer. 1 Thessalonians 4:26-27 “ Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Wow! We are told here to NEVER stop praying! Whereas we cannot accomplish this goal, we must work hard to get closer and closer to it with the time that God has given us here on Earth.
If somebody were to define you, would they say that you were a person of prayer? Prayer needs to be such a huge part of our lives that we feel like we’re missing out when we haven’t been praying. Prayer is both a prize and and obligation. I will leave you with only one question: If every Christian prayed like you, would the Church see growth, or decline?
2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Think of the person that you look up to most on Earth, whether that be skilled speaker, a movie star or maybe musician. Now image that they picked up the phone, called you and said they wanted to meet up for lunch to talk. You would be ecstatic! You wouldn’t be sitting all through the meal waiting for the boring conversation to end, you would be totally enveloped in focus by such a conversation. So many times, we forget that this is exactly what God wants to do. The God of the whole universe, maker of every single thing, the one from whom no molecule can stray without His knowledge, THAT supreme being and definer of existence says to you “Let’s meet up and talk”. We should be overwhelmed that such a one wants to talk to us, let alone with us.
If talking with the maker of existence isn’t enough motivation for us to pray, we can also see that the scriptures command us to be devoted by prayer. 1 Thessalonians 4:26-27 “ Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” Wow! We are told here to NEVER stop praying! Whereas we cannot accomplish this goal, we must work hard to get closer and closer to it with the time that God has given us here on Earth.
If somebody were to define you, would they say that you were a person of prayer? Prayer needs to be such a huge part of our lives that we feel like we’re missing out when we haven’t been praying. Prayer is both a prize and and obligation. I will leave you with only one question: If every Christian prayed like you, would the Church see growth, or decline?
2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”