The Hope of Prayer

Nearing the end of his life, it was reported that evangelist Billy Graham was asked if there was anything he would have changed in his long ministry. His response was quick and simple: "I would have prayed more."

For many, a vibrant, strong personal prayer life is a battle, and rightly so, as our spiritual enemy knows the power of a soul connected through prayer to our heavenly Father and will do all in his limited power to disrupt those times. The busyness of family life, the complexity of vocational ministry demands, and the seemingly never-ending emails and phone calls can all contribute to a weakened prayer life.

J. Oswald Sanders noted that “Mastering the art of prayer, like any other art, will take time, and the amount of time we allocate to it will be the true measure of our conception of its importance.” E. M. Bounds (1835–1913), American Methodist pastor, Civil War chaplain, and author, noted that “Prayer honors God, acknowledges His being, exalts His power, adores His providence, secures His aid.” Yet prayer is so much more than bringing petitions and requests to God. It is through times of prayer that the believer hears the voice of God calling to ministry, comforting the hurting soul, and strengthening the downcast.

It is easy to become distracted by the busyness of life that often pushes our prayer time to a quick few minutes in the morning before the day really starts. However, as we enter the summer months, let us take time to be intentional in building our prayer life, not just the requests and petitions, but a developing communion with God where we learn to listen, open our hearts, and hear His voice. The writer to the Hebrews encourages us to do just that: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:26).

The hope of prayer is more than answers to our petitions; it is a developed time of personal communion with God, who invites us into his very presence and exhorts us to come and be refreshed, to be encouraged, to understand His call in our lives. Let us do all we can to guard and develop that time. In Psalm 73, Asaph is discouraged, looking upon the success and prosperity of the wicked who have turned their backs on God. Something we also may be tempted to do as we see the current state of our world. Yet, Psalm 73:16-17 tells us, “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.” Prayer gives us a better perspective. Prayer gives us clarity as we focus on God’s sovereignty and helps us gain a better understanding of all that is happening around us.

Like an athlete develops his skill, let us also spend the time necessary to develop our personal communion time with God, guarded from distraction, and recognizing our daily need for intimate communion with our heavenly Father to meet the challenges we face.

Here I am, Lord, standing in the need of prayer.

Rev. Bill Allan,

AGC President