Lenten Devotional
By Pastor Vicki Harrison

Scripture Reading:

I Thess. 5:17, Never stop praying. 

Also take a moment to read some of Jesus’ teachings on prayer: Matthew 6:5-15, 7:7-11, Mark 11:23-26, Luke 11:1-13, Luke 18:1-14, John 15:7. 

Reflection:

In Acts 4, when Peter and John were arrested and released, they prayed for boldness. When Peter was arrested again the church offered “constant prayer” for him (Acts 12:5). In fact, they prayed all night long (we stay up worrying all night long, they prayed all night long). When the seven were appointed in Jerusalem to care for the widows, they prayed about it (Acts 6:6). When the church in Antioch first sent out Paul and Barnabas to preach, they prayed about it (Acts 13:3). Peter was in prayer when the vision concerning Cornelius was revealed to him (Acts 10:9; 11:5). Paul and Silas were praying while in the middle of a Philippian jail (Acts 16:25). When Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in the churches they planted, they prayed about it (Acts 14:23). Not, please Lord, bless our decision which we already made, but truly guide our thoughts, actions, and decisions.  The early believers prayed often and they prayed persistently.  Paul writes in I Thess. 5:17, “Never stop praying.” 

What’s interesting to me is that they prayed persistently even when they didn’t get the “results” they wanted.  Stephen and James were martyred but that didn’t stop the early Christians; they still prayed persistently for Peter.  They must have been frustrated and grief-stricken, but they kept praying boldly nonetheless.

Prayer is not simply about getting the results we desire. There is no special prayer formula.  We tend to think prayer + faith = results (love, healing, relationships, peace). But that just isn’t how it works. God answers prayers.  We can trust in that.  But he doesn’t always answer the prayers the way we want him to.  And probably a more important point --- a BIG part of prayer is about what God is doing in us when we pray.  Prayer is essentially an act of submission.  When we pray, we are saying, “God, we need you.  You are Lord of this world and we are not.  You are in control.  We are not.  We yield to you.” And there is something that happens within us when we do that.            

Sometimes, our prayers are answered swiftly, just the way we want. Other times, the answer we receive isn’t exactly the way we imagined.  Sometimes, we don’t get to see the answer on this side of eternity.  But Jesus tells us to pray boldly, persistently, and with determination.  Paul says to pray continually. Why? Because persistent prayer changes our heart.  We draw closer to God.  Through the process of regular, persistent prayer, we begin to look more like Jesus.  And isn’t that the point? 

Prayer:

Dear God, Thank you for always listening to my prayers. Give me the strength and courage to pray boldly and continuously, and change my heart in the process. Lord, I submit to you. In the name of Jesus, Amen.