Jesus - “If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.” (Matthew 7:11)
Prayer grows out of the conviction that God is our Heavenly Father, and He stands ready, willing, and able to help us in all of the circumstances of life. When we pray, we are requesting for God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. If we truly understood and embrace the fact that so much of life is beyond our control, we would give our daily times of prayer a higher priority in our lives.
Prayer is the way to fellowship with God, and the key to experiencing His power in our lives. Prayer is the communication of our friendship with the Lord. It is the way to cultivate our friendship with Him. It is also something that no one can take away from us. If we were locked up in prison without a Bible to read, we could still pray. If we traveled to a country where Christians were persecuted and were unable to join together with other Christians for fellowship and worship, we could still pray. No matter what happens in our lives, He is there, ready and willing to communicate with us and give us the strength and wisdom we need.
Prayer is the most powerful force in the universe because it connects us with God’s power which is greater than anything. The Prophet Jeremiah writes “O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by Your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for You!” (Jeremiah 32:17) Charles Spurgeon once said, “The power of prayer can never be overrated. Those who cannot serve God by preaching need not regret. If a man can but pray, he can do anything. He who knows how to overcome with God in prayer has heaven and earth at his disposal.”
Even understanding all of the benefits of prayer, many Christians today still do not have a strong prayer life which leads to disobedience, discouragement, and defeat. Richard Newton once wrote, “The principal cause of my leanness and unfruitfulness is owing to an unaccountable backwardness to pray. I can write or read or converse or hear with a ready heart; but prayer is more spiritual and inward than any of these, and the more spiritual any duty is the more my carnal heart is apt to stray from it. Prayer, patience and faith are never disappointed. When I can find my heart in frame and liberty for prayer, everything else is comparatively easy.”
Followup Activity - In your journal or on a piece of paper, write out a prayer to the Lord, asking Him to help you prioritize prayer in your life on a daily basis. Then, pray that prayer again tonight before you go to sleep. If you’re leading your family through this devotion, have them complete the same exercise as a family.
Prayer for Today - Lord, thank You for making it possible for me to come to You in prayer every day. Please give me a longing to spend more time in prayer with You everyday. In Jesus’ name, Amen.