I think that often times believers will overlook the effectiveness of prayer. Sure everyone prays, and everyone says that they are praying, but is there more to prayer than just saying things that you want to happen or things that sound good and interject a Jesus, or God in every now and then? I've found in my own life that I often get caught in that trap where the words issuing from my mouth are just words. It reminds me a lot of that song, "Heart of Worship." "I'll bring you more than a song..." In a lot of ways prayer is like a song. A song that doesn't necessarily need to be issued from the mouth, but something that comes from the heart.
A couple of weeks ago I was standing in the worship service and when I looked into myself it was then and there that I realized I couldn't sing the songs that were being sung. I couldn't make the words up on the screen true in my heart. The reason why is because I hadn't prepared myself to worship. I hadn't spent my time during the week wisely preparing for corporate worship. How audacious of me to think that I could prepare myself to worship right before the service!
So much of our time spent in bible devotions and bible study can become so monotonous and easily dead actions. What makes your relationship with Christ alive is prayer! Imagine if you were to have this room mate and you would do all these things for them like clean and cook or do their homework but never talked to them? What kind of relationship do you think that would be like? It would be creepy for one thing. But you really wouldn't have much of a relationship. Its not so much the act of speaking as it is the effort to communicate. When we pray we are communicating with God! Prayer is an acknowledgement of God's existence. Moreover, its an acknowledgement of our lack. Nothing is ever initiated by us and nothing is ever accomplished by us. Prayer is saying, "God you are awesome and powerful and mighty and You are the purpose and source of all things created. I acknowledge you and thank you for allowing me to have a part in your plan."
Prayer is worship, and when we catch ourselves in the midst of trouble or being fake we need to learn to stop and immediately take the time to pray. Immediacy is so important. Facing a crisis and not praying immediately is like getting shot in the chest and not immediately applying medical treatment. Prayer is breath, it says in the bible to "pray without ceasing." In all things we should be continually praying, but it also says not to pray as the gentiles do that utter ceaseless meaningless words as if their droning will encourge their god to come to their assistance. When we pray we come before the Lord with broken souls acknowleding His preeminence. He has all authority and power we should come before Him like we do our earthly fathers. We come before our earthly fathers with a sense of deep trust and intimacy but also of respect and "healthy" fear.
So this week as we go about our busy schedules lets remember to be preparing ourselves to present ourselves to the Lord with our brothers and sisters in Christ so that when we do sing songs we can be glad in knowing that the words of our mouth are an outpouring of our souls.
