I've been reading about prayer in a collection of writings by Edward M. Bounds. Though he lived a century ago, he struggled with the same things we struggle with today: casual regard for God, spending so much time for God that we don't spend time with God, pastors who don't carve out time to pray for their people... He's really nailed me on a lot of my ideas about how hard it is to pray.

The main thing is just doing it. Then, focus on frequency, intensity, motivation, purpose, direction, humility, etc. Pray is an amazing priviledge and a sacred responsibility. It isn't just about meals, rituals, or disasters; it's about spending time with God and getting to know Him. That's the main thing I want, by any means. How wonderful that God has made Himself so readily available to us!



"How vast are the possibilities of prayer! How wide is its reach! What great things are accomplished by this divinely appointed means of grace! It lays its hand on Almighty God and moves Him to do what He would not otherwise do if prayer was not offered. It brings things to pass which would never otherwise occur. The story of prayer is the story of great achievements. Prayer is a wonderful power placed by Almighty God in the hands of His saints, which may be used to accomplish great purposes and to achieve unusual results. Prayer reaches to everything, takes in all things great and small which are promised by God to the children of men. The only limits to prayer are the promises of God and His ability to fulfill those promises."

Comments

The Kilcoynes said…
I love E.M. Bounds. He is very challenging to read.
May 29, 2009 at 11:23 AM
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