Devotion - Why prayer? - Part 1

We must have heard so many sermons on prayer. We may even have preached sermons on prayer. But do we pray? We can know all about the mechanics and theology of prayer but until and unless we learn to wait on God in pray, all our christian walk will only be a paper exercise. Remember when Samuel heard the voice of God, he ran to Eli. Eli was able to explain to Samuel what to do, how to respond, sensing it was God speaking but he himself did not hear God. How true it is many times in our own lives, we can tell all about prayer but never experience the power and the personal relationship that prayer affords. Why pray?

a. Jesus himself prayed. In Mark 1:35 - Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. The Lord always led by example. Even in prayer, He sets the example by having a quiet time with God. It is always good to start the day with God. A set time and a set place. You see, Jesus left the house to pray. If he stayed in his bedroom, the temptation will be to go back to sleep. But Jesus got up and left the house to break the sleep cycle and focus on the time with God. Many times I have been guilty of satisfying the conscience by just kneeling in the morning but the body is still in deep sleep. We forget that God wants and longs to converse with us and share. You see God wants to have a relationship with us, just like the one he had with Abraham. "Can I hid anything from Abraham?"... Imagine God wanting to share with a man what he wants to do. It was a personal intimate relationship. For some of us our relationship with God is just like an introduction. Yes we have been introduced to God before and accepted him. But God longs for the relationship to go further. He wants to sit with us and listen to us share with him our needs, our desires and our love for Him, even though He knows exactly what we are going through. Just like a father would like to sit with his kids and hear them tell what has happened to them in the day, God longs for that kind of relationship. Has pray been that intimate with God for us?

Also note that Jesus found a quiet place. A place where there will be no distractions. No physical distractions as well as mental distractions. No noise of the TV or any other familiar voices. Our main problem is that any times, we can be on our knees, but the mind is distracted with so many other things, like rehearsing a sermon, what needs to be done in the day and the list goes on. That quiet time is to be between me and God alone.

Realise that it takes a lot of discipline. Getting up early, going out of the house, to a lonely place to pray is real discipline. I need to ask this question . Is my prayer life one of discipline or is it a ritual to satisfy my conscience. David cried in Psalms 42:1 - As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." If that's our cry we will follow the example of Jesus.

Those who know God the best are the richest and most powerful in prayer. Little acquaintance with God, and strangeness and coldness to HIM makes prayer a rare and feeble thing..... E.M Bounds