The Indispensability of Prayer

"Prayer delights God's ear; it melts His heart; and opens His hand. God cannot deny a praying soul." - Thomas Watson

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "Prayer is not a hard requirement, it is the natural duty of a creature to its creator, the simplest homage that human need can pay to divine liberality." How many times have we been reminded about the importance of prayer?

The fact that this topic is brought up repeatedly tells us that it has to be a high priority item. Though we may have good intentions, the majority of us are not very good at praying on a consistent basis. The plain, honest truth is we could use some help with it.

The apostle Paul shares some good basic advice about prayer in Colossians 4:2 (NIV), "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Let's examine this verse a little closer and I'm sure that you'll find some great takeaways to enhance your prayer life.

The verse opens stressing "devotion" in prayer. We can come up with many excuses for not praying, that's no big secret. But there are no special credentials or spiritual expertise required for prayer. If you have the time to watch television, or stand in line to buy a large, caramel macchiato, you have time to pray.

Devotion means that we must not only begin praying, but continue and never give up. Prayer is not a one-time-only event! Paul then tells us to be "watchful" or to pay attention when we pray. Stay focused, and don't get distracted or side-tracked. Pray earnestly, conveying your needs to Christ (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9).

Prayers must also be serious in manner and to the point. No halfhearted, weak-kneed prayers. Take care not to get too wordy or drone on. Not only might one lose their train of thought, but you could be making it easier for worldly temptation to weasel its way into your prayers.

Naturally, impassioned prayer ought to include gratitude, as the verse ends with "thankful." Unfortunately, it is easier to grumble or complain about having to pray than to be thankful for it. Sin, too, can corrupt our prayers through deceitfulness and our own shortsighted hearts.

Times of duress can cause us to forget to give thanks to God when we pray. Yet, we must be mindful not to do so. After all the One who has offered us salvation has also graciously provided numerous ways in which to display our gratitude to Him. The best and most effective being prayer.

We should be thankful for blessings already granted, things that are delayed until a more favorable time, and things that God deems not useful or even detrimental to us. Regular prayer is the preferred method. Steadiness and consistency shows our dedication to it; that we are genuinely sincere.

I would like to take "the importance of prayer" and add the adjective indispensable before the word importance. It's amazing how the inclusion of this one simple word amplifies the element of urgency to prayer in our lives. Therefore, we must never forget its significance.

In conclusion, the One who has offered us salvation has also graciously provided numerous ideas in which to display our gratitude to Him. The best and most effective, without a doubt, being prayer. It truly is indispensable or vital to our lives.

Scripture: Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Jeremiah 33:3; Psalm 34:17; Jeremiah 29:12

Prayer: Dear Lord, inspire me to live in such a way that I help to bring out the best in others, amen.

May the Lord bless you!

Shawna