Prayer

The importance of prayer has always been known to me, but the practical outworking of prayer has always been a struggle. I see or hear of people who have a depth in their prayer life and desire that...the deep communion, the abiding trust, the delight and submission in the presence of God...how can we not desire more of that? To that end, here are some things that God has taught me in the area of prayer, particularly over the past year or so.

Prayer requires that we recognize our need. True prayer is a humbling posture...it acknowledges that we are little and God is big...that He knows and we don't...that without Him we are powerless. There really isn't a time when we don't need God's empowering work in our lives, especially if our greatest desire is to be living in a way that brings honor and glory to Him.

Prayer requires focus. Ahhh...the great challenge to not let thoughts wander to and fro. How sad it would be if we sat down with a friend and they didn't concentrate at all on us and our conversation...that they were constantly distracted and couldn't even utter a complete and coherent sentence. Now, maybe that's a little extreme, but I often feel like I just start to pray and then there go my thoughts...onto plans and other random things. One of the things that has helped me the most is praying out loud...a dear friend recommended that to me and it amazingly helps. Another great help is having a list of things that you pray for, or praying through scripture, or God's attributes, etc.

Prayer requires child-likeness. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he started with "our Father." I hadn't realized it before, but MacArthur stated that Jesus always prayed that way with the exception of his prayer on the cross when the Father's face was turned away. Praying with the idea that God is our Father gives a greater depth and beauty to prayer...it changes prayer from being cold and distant to being warm and personal. It also reminds us of God's great, incomprehensible love for us as well as the thought that he is trustworthy and wise...that he knows what is best for us.

Prayer requires relationship. Rarely do we ever want to have a deep conversation with someone we don't know. The more time we spend in prayer, the more our love for Christ grows, and the more precious he becomes to us. When we see God for who he truly is...good, great, gracious, and glorious...our hearts are drawn to him, and we delight in being in his presence.

Prayer requires submission. Blackaby writes, "Prayer is not for the purpose of getting God to help us...but for getting us in line with what God is about to do. Prayer is God's invitation to enter His throne room so He can lay His agenda over our hearts." We need to remember that prayer is not God manipulation, but rather a means to help us submit to his far greater agenda for our lives and the lives of those we are praying for. Our purposes are very small in comparison to the greater and grander purposes he has for our lives.

Prayer requires faith. Prayer acknowledges that taking the time to speak to God is more important than doing something. It shows that we believe God is able to accomplish what seems unable to be accomplished otherwise. It shows that our hope is in the unseen rather than the seen.

Prayer requires worship. Prayer flows forth most freely and most beautifully from a life that loves and delights in the Savior. Here's a beautiful picture of worshipful prayer from the life of Hudson Taylor..."Not many months after my conversion, having a leisurely afternoon, I retired to my own chamber to spend it largely in communion with God. I besought Him to give me some work to do for Him, as an outlet for love and gratitude; some self-denying service, no matter what it might be, however trying or however trivial; something with which He would be pleased, and that I might do for Him who had done so much for me. Well do I remember, as in unreserved consecration I put myself, my life, my friends, my all, upon the altar, the deep solemnity that came over my soul with the assurance that my offering was accepted. The presence of God became unutterably real and blessed; and though but a child under 16, I remember stretching myself on the ground, and lying there silent before Him with unspeakable awe and unspeakable joy."

I sure have a lot of growth needed in all these areas, but how thankful I am that God is patient with me and that He hears my prayers as feeble and imperfect as they are...