Prayer

Today the Lord has really been reminding me of the importance of prayer.  I will admit that this is an area that I frequently don't give enough priority to in my time, despite the fact that I know it is a powerful and life-changing practice in a Christian life.  I need to make more time for prayer! 

Colossians 4:2 says, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."   Romans 12:12 says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."  James 5:16 -- "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

The Lord commands me to pray, and why would I not?  The rewards for my own life are immense!  He blesses me through prayer.  He sanctifies me through it.  He reveals the mysteries and riches of His word through it.  He listens to me, comforts me, encourages me. He admonishes, corrects, and convicts me to live a life more conformed to His will.  He answers my prayers, sometimes in ways I could not have imagined, and yet -- praise the Lord! -- He shows His love to me by answering in the way that is best for me, despite what I asked for!

Spurgeon says:

"Prayer is never futile.  True prayer is true power.  You may not always get what you ask, but you will always have your true needs supplied.  When God does not answer His children according to the letter, He does so according to the Spirit.  If you ask for coarse grain, will you be angry because He gives you the finest flour?" 

 Love that!

More than anything, I want to pray to bring all glory to my God.  I want my prayers to be like the prayers of Isaiah -- "I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us— yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses."  

I want to extol His many amazing attributes, His power, His mightiness, His loving spirit, His amazing providence.  I want to thank Him for His visible hand in my life and the lives of my loved ones.  I want to thank Him for His atoning sacrifice of His son, Jesus Christ, and the salvation afforded to me, a sinner, a salvation that completely and utterly changed my life and my hope.  How great is my God!!!

I want to leave a legacy of prayer for my children.  Fern Nichols says, "Every day we are developing through our words and actions a legacy for our children."  Do my children see me pray?  Do they know the power of prayer through my words actions?  Do they see God answering prayers in the life of our family?  The amazing workings of God through prayer in my life will be displayed before them -- how can I not leave that testimony to God's power?

There is so much more I could say -- prayer is deep and fathomless, as so many things of God are!  Suffice it to say, I plan to pray more!  One more quote from Spurgeon:

"[God] puts our prayers, like rose leaves, between the pages of His book of remembrance, and when the volume is opened at last, there will be a precious fragrance springing up from it."