Thursday, August 23, 2007

Prayer works

We would all agree with the two word statement: Prayer works. No arguments, right? You believe in it. You know it. You more than likely practice it at least occasionally. So why don’t folks pray more?

I know a lot of us will pray before we eat our double cheese burger, super-sized fries and large Coke. In that case, instead of the usual “grace” and blessing, we should probably be praying that God will somehow transform our “heart attack on a tray” into carrot sticks and celery. Still, technically, “saying grace” even over a bag “o” cholesterol is a prayer.

While many have graduated from a “Now I lay me down to sleep” type of bed time prayer, we still spend the majority of our prayer time simply going through a check list of items that God needs to fix. “Bless mommy and daddy and Aunt Suzie’s sore toe and my dog Gizmo and his never ending battle with halitosis. Amen.” Again, while the whole encounter takes less than ten seconds out of each day’s allotted 86,400 seconds, it’s still a prayer. Praying some is better than praying none.

And who hasn’t uttered a prayer when the flashing lights of a police car have come behind us on the freeway: “Lord, let him nab the guy in the Chevy along side of me.” Or when the teacher announces a pop quiz: “Lord, let me remember that stuff that I never studied; the lecture I slept through and any other stupid information for which without divine intervention I am doomed to get an “F.” Who says the Supreme Court has taken prayer out of schools? As long as there are pop quizzes there will be prayer in schools!

I just think we could do better in our prayer life.

Do you remember James’ words?

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

James would concur: Prayer works.

So pray. Don’t think you are an expert pray-er? That’s OK. Pray until you know how to pray. Don’t know what to pray for? That’s OK. Pray until God changes the situation or God changes you. Don’t know when you’ve prayed enough? That’s OK. Pray and keep praying and when you are all done… pray some more. Maybe that’s what Paul meant in the other (the first being “Jesus wept, of course) two word Bible verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray continually.”

Speaking of prayer… our Sunday evening Prayer Gatherings… The Wild Goose Chase Nights have been going great. And our Pastor’s Prayer Team revamping has also gone great (although there is still room for you if you would like to participate in this vital ministry of the church). Our church is praying more, which is terrific. Because this is what I know: Prayer Works!

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