Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
In our Christian life, we are urged to continue faithfully in prayer; to present our needs before our Heavenly Father; to lift up others to the eternal throne of grace; to bend our ear to His gentle suggestions. The curtain between man and God has been torn, and we are called upon to enter the holy place. We are to bring, in our hands, the needs of others, together with our grateful thanks, and to offer them in humble reverence before the feet of God. We are to persevere in prayer; to commit to pray and to never give up, especially when the answer seems a long time in coming. We are to persist in prayer, even when faced with mounting difficulties and discouragements, and we are to pray daily. Prayer is to become as regular as breathing, but too often prayer is the first Christian ‘duty’ to be dropped when life starts to close in on us, or time seems to be at a premium. Often, an irregular prayer life is the first slippery step on the downward path to complacency, immorality, and an ineffective Christian witness. Prayer is the means to maintain unbroken fellowship with our Heavenly Father, and unless we develop persistence and devote ourselves to praying, we are in danger of becoming lazy, disinterested, and compromised in our faith. Prayer is not sitting for a few minutes with hands folded, and eyes shut tight. Prayer is the tool we have been given to prepare us for the work God has called us to do and to ensure that we are well-prepared when faced with a crisis. Prayer is not meant to be saved for a rainy day or only used in an emergency. Prayer is our lifeline to the Lord and we should develop an attitude of ceaseless prayer. Continuous prayer is not being engaged in a prayer closet at all times, but it is developing a habit of prayer. It is initiating a mindset of keeping the lines of communication to the heavenly throne-room open, as we walk in spirit and truth and abide in Christ, moment by moment. Prayer should not be the quick after-thought of a busy believer, but an attitude that permeates one’s whole life. Prayer should be the infusion of our Lord into the inner core of our being and prayer should be the emission of our utter devotion to our Savior. Let us remember that when the prayers of the saints are offered to the Lord in steadfast faith, combined with grateful thanks and a trusting heart, we have the authority of heaven behind all that we carry, through His nail-pierced hands and feet.
Spiritual Steve 