I am pursuing prayer. That may sound strange, but I feel that my prayer life is of a very shabby sort. I have been reading E. M. Bounds on Prayer. That fella knew how to talk about prayer if anyone did. Much of what I have been reading lately is from the standpoint that preachers, above all others, must be passionate and purposeful about prayer. Preaching is a spiritual matter. Prayer is a spiritual matter. And thus for preaching to have any lasting spiritual benefit, it must be bathed in and fueled by prayer. As I read the words of his book, understanding that they are not scripture, I am convicted and know without a doubt that it does not currently describe me. And that ought not be so.
I am a preacher. I preach and teach the Word of God. That is how the Lord has thus gifted me and I am in the process of doing that and learning how to be more given to the Lord for that service to His body. But I also know that “preaching” is not just for the preacher. For we should all be involved in the preaching of the gospel. And so we should all be passionate about prayer that it might fuel all of our preaching.
I believe that prayer changes things. I believe that prayer is a necessity. And I would bet that many of us who know the Lord believe – at least consent to it cognitively and practically (and by practical I mean that we engage in it at least as a ritual). But I don’t know how many of us could honestly say that we pursue prayer as a necessity of the heart.
David prayed in Psa 16 “I have no other good besides thee” to the LORD. Prayer is more than just an exercise. It is more than just a thing to be done and checked off. It is communion with the Lord. After I prayed this morning, I walked away feeling refreshed and encouraged. But as I continued my day, I realized that I felt refreshed and encouraged (at least in my mind) because I had prayed, and not for the benefit of prayer. The benefit of prayer is that it draws us nearer to God. And that is what I needed. I need that ever satisfying sweet fellowship with the One besides whom there is “no other good” in heaven or on earth. That fellowship of prayer moves us closer in thought, closer in heart, closer in purpose and closer in love with the One who is alone worthy of our full attention and adoration. There are not many other things, save communion with the Lord through His Word and fellowship with His people, that should satisfy as much as prayer. And yet for all of its blessing and grandeur, how much do we actually pursue prayer as the greatest need of our thirsty souls?
In his writings, E. M. Bounds mentioned the example of our Lord who often went off to a secluded place to pray. Why? Why should He, the God-Man, need to go off into a secluded place to pray? Why should He, but for communion, alone with His Father in heaven. If our perfect, sinless Great God and Savior should need constant, fervent and passionate communion with His Father in heave – who is now our Father thorugh Him – how much more should we?
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