How important is prayer in your life? According to the pages of Scripture as well as the testimony of billions of practitioners throughout history, prayer is your lifeline. It is your means of connecting with your Creator. Prayer enables you to converse with God while tapping into the wisdom and strength that He provides. When it comes to building a strong and secure life house, prayer is absolutely essential.
The Apostle Paul emphasized the necessity of prayer when he wrote, “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, KJV). In other words, Paul proposed that prayer should not be an occasional activity; it should be a way of life. Rather than reserving prayer only for designated times of the day or week, prayer can be an ongoing spiritual activity throughout the day.
Consider the construction of a house. The visible appearance of a home is certainly important, but its importance pales in comparison to that of the underlying structure. For the long-term viability of the house, that structural strength must continually be maintained and reinforced.
Likewise, prayer addresses and strengthens that which lies below the surface. It is not about appearances—in Matthew 6:5 Jesus condemned praying for show—it is about having an authentic connection with God. As I suggest in my book, “Pray about everything. There is nothing too small or too great to take before the throne. It is the only way to keep your mind and life house strong” (Women Under Construction, p. 123).
The ability to pray is a gift of God’s grace. Through prayer, you can sense the comfort and protection of God, experience His power at work within you, discern His purpose for your life, and reinforce wholesome values and priorities. Best of all, prayer allows you to get to know God personally.
The Old Testament book of Deuteronomy draws attention to the vital nature of prayer. In a verse later quoted by Jesus Himself, it declares, “…man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3, KJV). How are you to gain access to these words from the Lord? Two complementary ways: through Scripture reading and prayer.
Take a moment to reflect on the role of prayer in your own life. Is prayer (or is it becoming) an intuitive part of who you are? Is it inherent to your nature? Do you find yourself drawn to prayer in times of decision, times of sadness, times of conflict, and times of joy?
Are there ways you can incorporate prayer into the natural rhythm of life? Before meals and at bedtime are conventional times for prayer, but seek other opportunities, too. For example, how about devoting time to prayer during your morning commute? Can you pray while you are jogging? At every stoplight you encounter, how about uttering a short prayer as you wait?
This is not about praying long, elaborate prayers; it is about establishing prayer as an integral component of who you are. For the sake of your life house, make it your goal to develop a strong habit of prayer.
Consider the construction of a house. The visible appearance of a home is certainly important, but its importance pales in comparison to that of the underlying structure. For the long-term viability of the house, that structural strength must continually be maintained and reinforced.
Likewise, prayer addresses and strengthens that which lies below the surface. It is not about appearances—in Matthew 6:5 Jesus condemned praying for show—it is about having an authentic connection with God. As I suggest in my book, “Pray about everything. There is nothing too small or too great to take before the throne. It is the only way to keep your mind and life house strong” (Women Under Construction, p. 123).
The ability to pray is a gift of God’s grace. Through prayer, you can sense the comfort and protection of God, experience His power at work within you, discern His purpose for your life, and reinforce wholesome values and priorities. Best of all, prayer allows you to get to know God personally.
The Old Testament book of Deuteronomy draws attention to the vital nature of prayer. In a verse later quoted by Jesus Himself, it declares, “…man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live” (Deuteronomy 8:3, KJV). How are you to gain access to these words from the Lord? Two complementary ways: through Scripture reading and prayer.
Take a moment to reflect on the role of prayer in your own life. Is prayer (or is it becoming) an intuitive part of who you are? Is it inherent to your nature? Do you find yourself drawn to prayer in times of decision, times of sadness, times of conflict, and times of joy?
Are there ways you can incorporate prayer into the natural rhythm of life? Before meals and at bedtime are conventional times for prayer, but seek other opportunities, too. For example, how about devoting time to prayer during your morning commute? Can you pray while you are jogging? At every stoplight you encounter, how about uttering a short prayer as you wait?
This is not about praying long, elaborate prayers; it is about establishing prayer as an integral component of who you are. For the sake of your life house, make it your goal to develop a strong habit of prayer.
