I am preparing to be gone over the next week and a half speaking at two different locations in New York. I'll begin in Buffalo this Sunday and the following Sunday I will be in Jamestown. These two congregations are such a blessing to me. They work and strive in the midst of difficulties that is little understood in our part of the country. Pray for them and me as I make this travel.
I would like to leave you with a thought about prayer since I am asking for prayers for the brethren in these locations. It seems prayer is spoken about often in classes and sermons yet regarded as one of the least aspects of our worship and living. That's hard to really know why. We teach and talk about prayer the way we should teach and talk about prayer but our practice in what we say is something entirely different. We really need to grow in prayerfulness.
Many years back, in a congregation I was involved with, I decided that on a Wednesday evening we would devote the night not "on" prayer but "in" prayer. We sang songs and I had asked before our starting a few of the men to lead some prayers with specific content. I also announced to the brethren that if they had any prayer requests if they would raise their hand we would bring them a paper/pencil and they could write it down and we would pray for their specific request. One prayer, then another, then another. Hands began to be raised and paper handed out. I asked the elders one at a time to lead the prayers in some of the specifics. I asked the deacons to follow suit. I cannot begin to describe what happened but something magnificent did! Our service lasts from 7-8 PM generally. At 8 we still had many different requests and I announced if people needed to leave that was fine but we were going to stay with this. No one left of about 200 people. At 9:45 we finally concluded!! No one rushed out. There was a cleansing, a heart response over the whole. I've never witnessed anything like this since that day some 35 yrs. ago.
Why is it that church prayer is almost non-existent? The public prayers begin with an opening prayer and closing prayer. They are often framed with little requests for specific needs of the church. Little praying on behalf of the lost and outreach, in fact, I rarely hear any! If there is turmoil within, why don't we pray as the church for soften, humble hearts? But forgive us for our sins is almost in every single prayer. How many times do we sin between the opening, the in between and closing? Where are the prayers of unity and steadfastness in the truth as God's people? To pour out our needs where are the prayers? Why are we afraid? To pray as one voice by magnifying the name of God, relying on His will and knowing our lives are dependent upon Him for our "church" life is edifying. To hear prayers offered in our public worship on behalf of the body of Christ for Him to lead us, deliver us, to shape us, to open doors to present the gospel and build us as we rely on Him is moving but seldom heard.
Set prayers, traditional prayers can be nothing but a ritual. I have often wanted to ask the brethren what they think when a man leads us in prayer? Are they praying or just sitting playing with their children, thinking who knows what and nothing in union? Sometimes it concerns me that a congregation can become the property of a few ministers! In other words, prayer is something that we are suppose to do, get it out of the way so we can get to the central issue - the preaching! Just look at the early church how they devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 2:42). Prayer is the property of the whole church, not a few. Individual prayer is important but the whole church assembly needs to focus more on prayer as prayer is our expression of dependence on the Father who we worship.
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