Why Pray Today?
Why are you and I so slow to pray?
Everyday, I come across someone that is facing a difficult situation. Most of the time it is me (wink), or someone in my family or circle of friends. No matter what you say: Life is Tough. Many people are facing impossible situations in the last two years alone. Economies are tight, people are negative and individuals are worried. I often wonder how one does it without Jesus as your Partner in life.
Do you remember that old song by M.C. Hammer called ‘Pray’? He sings:
“That’s word, we pray (pray,pray);
We got to pray; Just to make it today.”
Those words are so true, there is no way we can survive this world without the discipline of regular prayer. In fact, prayer is to be a characteristic of God’s people. When I encourage fellow believers to be awake to the times we are living in, it is always to try and awaken believers to the responsibility and urgency of prayer. Paul talking about spiritual warfare, tells us in Eph 6:18 to…
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
The greatest sadness about believers, speaking generally, is how little we actually pray. And I am speaking to myself as well. There is generally not enough prayer happening in my life, especially when I stop and consider what power is available to us, if we would only pray about it.
Just this week, God led me to Psalm 69:13 where David says:
“But I pray to you, O Lord, in the time of your favor, in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.”
Looking closer at the Psalm, God showed me the many problems David was facing. In verse 7-12 of Psalm 69, David talks of being scoffed at, mocked, insulted, humiliated and made an object of city-wide gossip. Those are quite a load of burdens to carry already. Before that in verses 1-3 we are given a picture of David’s feelings and mindset: he feels that he is in a sea of trouble, the waters are coming to his neck, he is sinking into miry depths with no foothold, he is in deep waters and he is engulfed by them. He has reached his end. Plus, he is so worn out from calling to God for help that he is physically exhausted: his throat is parched and his vision blurred. David is at the end of his rope.
Many of us are at the end of our rope – where the problems we are facing overwhelm us like deep water, we are drowning and there is no way out. Some of us are circling the drain of deep depression, despair, discouragement and we see no way out. We know we are lost, worn out, stuck, limited, engulfed.
It is precisely at this point in David’s life that he says “But I pray to you, O Lord.” Despite how he was feeling, how depressed he was, how tired he was, no matter how beaten down he was, he was not going to quit, give up and stop trusting God.
He Prayed
When our situations are hopeless, that is precisely when we need to decide that no matter what, we will continue to pray. We should say: “But…I pray to you, my Lord.”
David prays because he knows:
- God will hear his prayer and respond (v33 “The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.“)
- God will rescue him (v14 “Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters,” and in v18 “Come near and rescue me; deliver me because of my foes.” )
- God will come near to him (v18 “Come near and rescue me; deliver me because of my foes.” )
- God knows exactly what is going on (v19 “You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.”)
- And he will yet praise God and have cause for thanksgiving. (v30 “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.“)
When we are so low, that is when we need God the most. When others people don’t come through for us, when we find no comfort in the company of others; that is when we turn to our most faithful friend, the Lord.
James 5:16 “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Pray. Decide today, that no matter what, I will pray and continue to pray. As MC Hammer says in the song: “Take a minute, burn a prayer.”
We got to pray just to make it today!
Father, thank you that at any time we can enter Your Presence and commune with You, our Father, the God who cares for His children. Thank You that we know that You listen to us, that You draw near to us and that You are in control of our lives. Thank you that we can lay our lives before You, commit our path to You and know that You are working to bring good out of all things. Thank You that we can be comforted by You, find our strength in You and exchange our fear for faith. I declare today that I will not give in to my life circumstances, instead I will pray and seek out Your face, Your counsel and Your power in my life.
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