pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Recently I walked into my local Senior Center exercise room. One of the women exercising looked at me and said: “You look tired.” I told her: “I am tired. I live my life tired.” She was working out with another lady and both are fervent Christians. They asked me if I wanted them to pray for strength for me. I welcomed their prayers and they prayed right there in the work out room for me.
We all need prayer, and we all need to be praying. There is a saying I’ve heard over the years where one Christian will ask another: “Are you prayed up?” The idea is a Christian gets stronger with a strong prayer life and weaker with a weak prayer life. So you definitely want to stay “Prayed Up”.
We pray not only for ourselves, but also for others. More than this, prayer is simply talking to God, sharing your day, your concerns, your thanks and gratitude for His blessings. I got into a habit over the years of praying constantly.
I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, 2 Timothy 1:3
When I’m driving down the road I will pray for strangers walking on the sidewalk or riding bikes. God will bring certain people to my mind and I will pray for them. I talk to God constantly, occasionally out loud and I’m sure more than one person who has heard me do so has thought me a bit weird 😀
I’m not patting myself on the back for my prayer life. I have learned to depend upon God over the years out of necessity. When you have to deal with continual afflictions you had better learn to pray. Prayer can become a wonderful habit if you stick to it. It will also strengthen you spiritually.
There are many different kinds of prayer. Much of what I just mentioned are “casual prayers” just talking to God and asking Him to bless us and to help people. But then there are more serious petitions.
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 1 Timothy 2:1
There are times we need to get on our knees and pray as if our life, or someone else’s life, depends upon it.
Yet at other times we need to thank and praise God for His wonderful blessings. There are many reasons to pray and a variety of prayers every believer needs to be participating in.
There is a saying: Little Prayer, Little Power, Much Prayer, Much Power. And it is true. Too many Christians feel powerless in their lives because they pray so little. You should be talking to God as you would to a good Friend. And you should be approaching His throne boldly, yet also respectfully as a blood bought child of the Almighty God of Heaven and Earth. There is a song: “What a Friend we have in Jesus…” I wonder how many Christians actually believe that and pray with that understanding? If you have a good friend you can share just about anything with them, your troubles, your accomplishments, your day to day life.
We have both an awesome God who holds all the power of the universe in His Hands. And we have a good Friend who cares more about us than our most cherished loved ones.
Are you prayed up? If not, you are robbing yourself of one of God’s greatest blessings–the ability to interact and communicate with the most incredible Being who ever was or ever will be.
Prayer: Dear Lord, When we neglect talking with You we miss an incredible blessing. May we always stay in contact with You through a vigorous prayer life. Amen.
