Last week we discussed ‘the means of grace’; the things God uses to pour out his grace upon us. These things, such as Bible reading, prayer and church, have sadly slipped into the category of ‘burdens’ for many, resulting in them failing to enjoy these wondrous gifts to their full potential.
One example is prayer. When people say ‘my prayer life is not as good as it should be’, what they’re expressing is a feeling that they’re letting God down by not fulfilling their duty. In reality though, they’re letting themselves down by not enjoying the grace available through prayer.
Author David Mathis says prayer is our response to a conversation God began with us in his word. God has said ‘I want to draw you into a relationship with the most glorious being you can imagine; Me.’ As such, prayer does not begin with our needs; but with God’s bounty and goodness. Because of this, prayer is not about getting things FROM God; but getting God himself. As Mathis says in ‘Habits of Grace’, ‘the great purpose of prayer is to come into the presence of God; to relate to Him, talk with Him, and ultimately to enjoy him as our ultimate treasure’. This is the reason Jesus prayed so much; because he desperately desired fellowship with his Heavenly Father.
So if we want to enjoy this wonderful means of grace to its full potential, we must be setting aside large chunks of time (i.e. 30 mins or more) each day to pray. This will not happen though through raw discipline. Remember, prayer is not a burden we must fulfil; it is a relationship. So if we want the joy that comes through prayer, the best thing we can do is work on our relationship with God.
Brendan McLaughlin
