Prayer

Caught in the everyday doings of ministry, we all find ourselves wanting and seemingly knowing we need prayer, however, few men actually find themselves on their knees. Yet, how can we neglect the source of life that we preach we all must glean from? We preach Christ and his strength powerfully working within us, yet we are for the most part not very strong and anything but powerful in our lifestyles. In fact, if our lives were examined from the outside, we may not even necessarily look much different from the world. The world could never have a chance to hate us because sadly we are much more friend than foe to their worldview. How did it get this way? Perhaps it is due to the lack of passionate, fervent prayer in our lives. We are much more apt to work on a budget spreadsheet, a promotional flyer, or even a sermon or perhaps have lunch with yet another leader. The prayer closet has been left to the old widows of the church and the few strung out hyper-charismaniacs that seem to have sipped a little too much of the communion wine. We have much more important things to deal with and of course we don't want to come off as too "spiritual" to our people. So it is necessary for us to keep the prayer life at home and perhaps schedule out the quiet time. Suppress it to a thirty minute morning devotional where more than likely we aren't praying as much as we are vegetating, staring into the shower head wondering why we are up so early and not still in bed. This has become the prayer life of most pastors and even more comical amongst young pastors. What are the young pastors excuses? They are equally if not more comical. Our excuses are filled with complaints about what "this generation" responds to and mumblings about the need to contextualize as if the best evangelism strategy to this generation has changed since the book of Acts. Then it was prayer and study and now it is making Jesus hip. No, the prayer closet is not pretty. It is not glamorous. It is filled with angst. It is consumed in solitude. It calls the best of us liars and the most spiritual of us children. Prayer alone is the only responsibility that anyone can fulfill, yet none can receive glory. Yet, Christ has called us to it. Not only to pray, but to do it alone and often. The most fearful realization of all is that the only thing that keeps us from praying like we know we should is pride and idolatry. Somehow we believe that we are sufficient to fulfill ourselves without it which is ultimate pride. Since we don't spend our time with him, we are spending it elsewhere which we evidently think is more efficient, which in turn makes whatever is getting our time our makeshift god. Relationships, trinkets, toys, radios, ipods, computer screens, books, and yes even people become our makeshift gods. Yet, comically enough we find it unbelievable that our people are being ravaged by the enemy, or we aren't growing personally, or that our ministry isn't pressing forward, but that it is stagnant and all the while Christ is standing at the edge of our agenda calling us to fellowship. Pleading with us to converse with Him. Yet, we are busy. We have a ministry to run. Oh the day that we realize that Christ is the essence of all that we seek and that by neglecting Him we have lost our soul. Even if we have gained the whole world, if we lose Christ in the process, we have lost everything and we should be pitied above all men.

"One thing I have asked of the Lord and that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.." - Psalm 27:4

"As a deer pants for flowing streams, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.... My tears have been my food day and night..." - Psalm 42:1-2, 3

"For God alone my soul awaits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. Psalm 62:1-2

O how the words of David ring true to my soul. While outwardly I waste away inwardly I long to be renewed, yet how if not my the precious word of Christ? It is yet impossible. How can we live a life like Christ if we do not find our strength in the source of life that is Christ.

Father, grant us the mercy to be men of prayer. Passionate and eager to fall on our knees and plead on behalf of our family, our flock, and ourselves. Provide for us a holy conviction that leads to repentance. Let our lives be saturated with prayers for our people.

In Christ's precious name,

Amen