Last Sunday in our class we continued our study of prayer.  We began by asking a question.  If we know we should pray, and we know it’s effective, then why don’t we pray?

The truth is, most of us do pray. We pray small, selfish prayers every time we get in a bind, or we pray before we eat because were taught to do that as a child.  However necessary those prayers may seem at the time, they are not what real prayer should be.  Prayer isn’t just throwing out a request in God’s general direction, knowing He’s the greatest center fielder ever so He can definitely catch it.  Prayer is communication with the Creator, Maker, Redeemer, and  Savior.  I think, if I really “got” who I was talking to, my prayers would change significantly.  I probably wouldn’t be so nonchalant about everything.

Please don’t get me wrong. He’s not interested in the formality of prayer.  He’s interested in YOU!  Every time we come into His presence and just ask for some stuff, ask Him to bless our food, and give us health and happiness, we leave satisfied, but He leaves wanting more – more time, more real conversation, more full surrender, more putting Him first, more commitment, more…

The realism in the answers I received Sunday morning blew me away.  Why do we struggle to pray? Because we are convicted when we’re in His presence, and no one likes to feel bad.  Because we haven’t prayed in so long, we feel guilty about praying at all.  Because we constantly focus on ourselves, so how can He want to spend time with me?

The reality of His love for us should cause us to fall to our knees in sheer thanks and gratitude.  He made a way for us to reach Him by building a bridge across an infinite gulf.  The materials He used to build that bridge were the suffering, shame, and blood of His only Son.

If we really want our class and group to be what God intends – to reach our world with His glorious Gospel – then we need to wear out our the knees on every garment we own praying for God’s forgiveness, power, favor, and wisdom.

If you doubt His ability to love you, or question just how much He cares, please read the words to the third verse of the song “The Love Of God”.  It’s been sung many artists through the years – my favorite version is by MercyMe.  The story is told the song was written with only two verses, but the words to the third verse were found on the wall of an abandoned insane asylum supposedly written there by one of the people being held there.  Maybe they’ll help you pray today in a different way than you’ve ever known.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Pastor Warren