“Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow.” It’s a fun little song that we teach our children very early on in life, but it shouldn’t just be something we teach our kids; this is something all believers need to cling to. So far this year, we have looked at some resolutions that we, as believers, should seek to implement or improve in our lives. Up to this point, those resolutions have focused primarily on reading, but now, as the little song suggests, we should turn our attention to prayer.
I’ve heard it said that prayer for the Christian is like breathing. Throughout the day, we “breathe in” challenges, trials, blessings, and more. Then, in response to these things, we “breathe out” prayers of thanksgiving, supplication, or confessions of sin. Prayer, then, is a vital part of the life of the believer.
This is why Jesus would say that we “ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1), and Paul said we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). In fact, Paul even considers prayer as a weapon we use in our spiritual warfare against sin and the devil. After listing such items as the “belt of truth” and the “shield of faith,” that we believers are to arm ourselves with, he concludes by saying we should be “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Eph. 6:18).
Oh dear believer, may we never think of prayer as a trivial matter. Battles have been won, souls have been saved, God has received abundant glory, and believers have grown tremendously in their faith, all because of prayer. Why? Well, it’s not because of our feeble voices, that’s for sure. It is because of Him who hears and answers our prayers.
God is our Almighty, Sovereign, and Eternal God, and He hears His children when they cry out to Him (Luke 18:7-8). So, precious child of God, do not neglect prayer. If it is not already, I urge you to make prayer an important part of your daily walk with God this year.
-Shaun M. Hewlett