Prayer seems to be an incredibly common topic in the minds of many lately. Given the recent horrifying events in the United States, this is quite understandable. The usual sentiment – echoed even on the NASDAQ billboard of late – is “our thoughts and prayers are with you”. As emotional and sincere as that sounds, is it really true? All too often this seems a phrase that is delivered without much thought as to what it implies.
When a person utters the statement – “my prayers are with you” – does he or she actually follow up with committed prayer to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? Or is this just another way to say “I sure wish there was something I could do.”?
One Senator in America declared on national TV that he and his family were so shaken by the events in New York City and Washington that they wondered all day what they could do to help. Finally he said that as a last resort they decided to pray. Is he implying that after they had tried everything else that they then decided to ask for help from the Creator of the heavens and the earth? Sounds like the horse is in the wrong place again. If this is the sort of attitude one has towards prayer, is it any wonder that prayers are not answered?
Record after record in the Scriptures declares the absolute faithfulness of God in answering the prayers of His people. The purposes of entire armies were thwarted via committed prayer from God’s people. As long as believers sought and trusted the Lord they never lost a battle. For men like Moses, Joshua, the Lord Jesus and Paul the Apostle, prayer was never a last resort but always the first and main required line of defense. As long as they believed God, prayer always worked.
Philippians 4:6, 7
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
As sincere and committed as men and governments might be in their resolve to do this or that, without God’s will being the center, the end result will be fruitless. Any such action must absolutely have as its foundation – unceasing, committed and united prayer for as the Scriptures declare: unless the Lord keeps the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.
If ever there was a time that the phrase “my prayers are with you ” needed to be honored and a time when a vigilant watching in prayer needed to be effective, might I suggest the time is now.