Why Prayer is so important
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:35 (ESV)
Since coming back to God, my prayer life has been on fire compared to the little embers I would have used to describe it earlier in my faith. I’ve come to see how important it is to make prayer part of my daily life—not just for my own walk with God, but because of the impact it has had on my family and close friends.
If we truly believe our faith is relational and not a dictatorship, then prayer is essential. It’s how we talk with God and listen to Him. I know some people say, “He’s God—He already knows everything anyway.” While that’s true, it’s a bit like hearing something important about someone you love from another person instead of from them directly. God wants us to bring everything to Him. He wants us to share our wounds, our deepest fears, and our victories. We often forget that He wants to hear about the good things too.
Prayer isn’t just about talking; it’s a two-way conversation. We need to spend time listening as well. God wants to speak to us and wrap His loving arms around us.
Sometimes listening isn’t comfortable. But what relationship doesn’t involve difficult conversations? There are times when we already know what God is asking of us, yet we still ask for one more sign. As Pastor said on Sunday, we often ask for confirmation when, deep down, we already know the answer. I’ve experienced that several times in my own life, and I’ve always sensed God saying, “You know what I’ve already told you. You know what you need to do.”
Something one of my Elder’s said during a sermon a month or so ago really resonated with me and has kept me accountable ever since. It has also encouraged others in our church. He asked, “Why do we say, ‘I’ll be praying for you,’ instead of simply praying for them right there?”
What a challenge.
A couple of weeks later, after the Sunday service, I looked across the sanctuary and saw small groups of people praying together. That’s the kind of church we need to be. That’s what it’s all about. We should be able to look around, reach out to someone, and know they’ll pray with us.
It’s easy to write these words and make prayer sound romantic and inspiring. The reality is that praying every day isn’t always easy. Sometimes you miss a day, or something happens and your first instinct isn’t to pray.
Here’s a secret: quite often, my first thought isn’t to pray either.
But as soon as I realise it, I pray. God is in the fire with us—we just have to remember that He’s there.
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12 (ESV)
Prayer changes atmospheres, attitudes, and situations. We need to be a praying church. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus consistently made prayer a priority, and so should we.
Thank you for visiting the Dwelling place.