Sunday, November 7, 2010

Please Pray

The Lord once made it clear to me that while I had become limited in what I could do (due to my physical condition) there was something He most definitely wanted me to do. Pray. His Word tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It tells us to pray for one another (James 5:13), and to pray for those who persecute you (Matt. 5:44). We are to pray to our Father (Matt. 6:6) and pray so that we don't fall into temptation (Matt. 26:41). Jesus even gave us a prayer to pray (Luke 11:2-4). We are told to pray if we are suffering (James 5:13). God's house is called a house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7). Jesus spent His time sometimes all night in prayer (Luke 6:12). Paul unceasingly made mention by prayer of the saints in Rome (Romans 1:9) and exhorts us to be devoted to prayer (Romans 12:12 and Col 4:2)
If it were not important, God would not have told us to do it. If He tells us to do it, then lets do it! I know in my own life it is much more important to pray over a matter or a person, than to try and fix whatever needs fixing without prayer. Without the direction, inspiration, and power of God we can do nothing. Prayer comes first.
Prayer is speaking and making requests to God. It is remembering who He is and what He has done. It is time spent in His company. It is waiting on Him. It is listening to Him. Sometimes it is eloquent. Sometimes it may only be one word.
A newborn baby only makes sounds not words, but it calls forth a response of tender love from its parent. Do you think our heavenly Father is any less? He hears the cry of His children.
The Psalms are filled with cries to God from the heart of David.
Pray fellow saint, you who are co-heirs with Christ! Don't fall into sin by not praying.

1 comment:

betty said...

I am sorry about your Parkinson's disease, I can't imagine how difficult things are for you. My mother-in-law got diagnosed with it four years ago (she's 84) and I know the difficult struggle she has had.

I totally agree with you; prayer is so very vital for us to do. I was reading something about Billy Graham and he said with his vision (I think he has macular degeneration), he can't read as much as he used to, but he can and does pray a lot these days. Very wise advice I think to remember to continue to pray in all things!


And you are right, most of the Psalms are such beautiful prayers in themselves as they cried out to God in thanksgiving, in praise, in need, etc.

betty