Pray and Pray Often
The Lenten season reminds us to pray. If we are spending these forty days fasting from food, we often remember to pray when the hunger pangs hit. It is amazing how much we long for something when we decide to give it up. Often, to resist the urge to give in, we turn to prayer. But I hope we pray not just to avoid doing something, but to pray for healing and wholeness for ourselves and others. Pray for this world we live in. Pray for families fearful of immigration officers. Pray for the countries living in angst because of war or threats of war. Pray for our neighbors near and far, whom we may never see but know are in need. Pray for the Church that she can be effective in bearing witness to the Living God.
Prayer is powerful. I am reminded of Elijah, who prayed that it would not rain. Three and a half years later, Elijah prayed for rain, and it did. Some of us think, well, I am no Elijah, and my prayers do not go past the ceiling. Well, Elijah was an ordinary human being like us. When we pray, God hears us. We are encouraged throughout scripture to pray. 1 John 5:14 tells us This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And even when we are unsure how to pray, the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us. Romans 8:26-27 says, In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
What a wonderful gift we have in prayer. It is how we communicate with God, pouring out our hearts while listening for God’s voice. As kingdom people, we are invited to live this life on earth as it is being lived out in heaven. We pray this each time we pray the Lord’s Prayer: thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Let prayer be a sacred conversation that draws you closer to God's heart and aligns your life with God’s divine purpose.
Prayer is powerful. James 5:16 tells us: Therefore, confess your sins to each other, and pray for each other, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
In glancing over our prayer list, there are many precious souls in need of prayer. We never know how God will respond to our prayers, but we do know that our God hears us and is merciful. Therefore, let us not grow weary or lose hope. Like the woman who visited the unjust judge, our persistence can make a difference. She was persistent in going to the judge, and her perseverance led to justice. If that judge, who was merciless, can respond justly, how much more will our loving Father, full of mercy and grace, respond to our prayers? Let us pray and pray often, trusting in God's perfect timing and mercy.