What Drives You To Pray?

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5: 12


I know in my own life my prayer life has ebbed from time to time, been intense at other times and then on balance a part of my life.  I suspect that many Christians can relate to some or all of these.  Sadly, when we have a crisis in this life, we fall to our knees and seek God as a lost friend who can and will make life better.  Truth is God never leaves us and He always has the best plans for our life.


Trials do come our way to draw us closer to Him.  Truth is even with a dedicated prayer life like Christ, Daniel, David or Paul, the trials will still come.  Prayer isn't necessary for God, but for us.  In prayer, we are drawn close to the heart of our Lord and Savior.  In prayer the Holy Spirit is able to intercede for us and even teach us how to pray.  How many times have you felt that you just didn't know what to pray for or who?  It's during these times that we're drawn closer into deeper intimacy with God our Father.


The saints of the church during the first years were persecuted in ways that we can't begin to understand or imagine were it not for the accounts recorded in history.  Still, we don't fully grasp the whole truth of it all.  Even the accounts of apostles' beatings, imprisonments, and deaths don't seem to strike the full weight of it.


This I know, without a committed prayer life, we cannot and will not ever know the richness of God's care for us.  Nor will we be ready should the time come that we are persecuted for His name sake.  Little trials, moments of indecision, and poor choices will plague our life and rob us of the joy given to us right this moment.


Christ spent a great deal of time alone in prayer.  Often slipping away for a time of solitude to draw near to His Father.  Christ endured all that we will possibly face in this life with complete victory!  We either choose to follow His example or suffer loss.  His way leads us to the heart of God and to the place where we too can say, "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." (Psalms 46:1) 


I pray that you and I will enter into a new desire, a desire to draw closer everyday to the heart of God.  So close that we'll see the trials of life as opportunities to exalt God plainly for all to see, while we become less.  God has provided a way that is right and good, I choose to follow the narrow path and to rely on His direction for the path to follow.


Be Blessed Always