Brothers and sisters, a gentle reminder in the New Year to be a person of prayer. Even Jesus sustained his human existence with prayer. You cannot accomplish anything of value spiritually in the flesh alone. Prayer is your direct connection to God through the justice-satisfying death of Christ on your behalf. Don’t lose that connection. It was purchased at a great price! Pray in secret. Pray with others. Pray with your church.
“Prayer,” as Charles Spurgeon put it, “is the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence.” Because prayer is not a mechanical formula for receiving outputs based on inputs, but is actually an appeal to the person of God, and God has all power, then prayer indeed can move the muscles of omnipotence. The only limit on the answers to prayer is God’s will.
God’s will includes how He chooses to work at different times in history, His great plan for the ages, and His knowledge of what is for the greatest good. These are all things we can only know in part, and we must simply trust Him. But God’s will also includes His fatherly care for His children…not a foolish, doting father who only wants to see smiles on little faces. He is, after all, holy and righteous, so His love designs to conform us to what is truly good, not just our good feelings (Hebrews 12:9-10). Keep that in mind, then pray!
But God is sovereign, what good can my prayers do? The sovereign God invites you to pray! Didn’t we see this recently in Psalm 50:15? “Call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will honor Me.” Prayer is good for us and honors Him, because prayer acknowledges His rule and His sovereignty expressed to us in mercy. Our prayers don’t “inform” God. Instead, they are the very thing He wants most from us…a relationship. Just as we delight in our toddlers when they speak with us (even though we’re not getting much new information out of them), so God delights in our coming to Him. That’s the key: the relationship. Keep the relationship alive. Pray, be thankful, and honor Him.
Prayer changes things. The Apostles knew this, so they devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 6:4). Paul sought prayer for effective service and protection (Rom 15:30, 2 Thess 3:2) and that the word of God would spread rapidly and be glorified (2 Thess 3:1). Paul knew that ministry is not mainly about talent and skill. It is a spiritual contest that must be fought with spiritual weapons. Prayer is a great weapon, and one too often neglected in modern times. Learn to pray. Make time for it. Shut out the noise and distractions. Have time with God.
Yours in Christ
Originally printed in The AFBC Pony Express. Vol. V, No. 1, January 2012.