Call to Prayer

August 2004

Many people suppose that they are called to God to do great and magnificent things, but not many think that prayer is magnificent, hence they may not think that they are called to pray at all. Many even in the church erroneously suppose that they should be doing something better than prayer. They do not realize that nothing is better than prayer.

We are all capable of prayer and we are all called to prayer.

In prayer, our hearts and minds turn to God. Thus, we are commanded to "pray without ceasing"(1 Thess. 5:17). And so we ought. We ought all to pray. In prayer, let us not compare ourselves to others. Others may pray longer or more eloquently. What does that matter? I pray as God leads me and calls me.

Jesus calls us to prayer, and we come to him as those dying of thirst. He gives us living waters to drink. He gives us the water of eternal life.

Jesus urges all to come to him in prayer, the afflicted, the healthy, the young the old, the poor and the wealthy. He will lighten our load and unburden our souls.

We draw near to God in prayer as children to a father, and our father embraces us in his loving arms. We have been like poor wandering sheep. In prayer, we return to the good shepherd.

It may be that some will think that they are too ignorant to pray. “I am not good with words,” they will say. But, prayer is not a matter of the spoken word; It is a matter of the heart. Prayer is not what we to God before other people. Prayer is what our inmost being speaks in the secrecy of our hearts.

Thus, all who desire to pray may easily pray, enabled by those ordinary graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit which are common to all God’s people.

And Prayer is what we need. Prayer delivers us from sin, and enables us to walk in holiness and love. Prayer brings us into the very presence of God, and keeps us in God’s presence.

We should all then practice prayer, and practice daily. This is not a burdensome task. Prayer is not a duty; it is a joy. As God’s people, we love to be in the presence of our loving God.

Perhaps we cannot be literally always in prayer, for sometimes we have other things to do. We have jobs, marriages, children, but if we are determined to find the time to pray, we will find the time.

We do not need to pray for long periods, for hours and hours. It is more important that when we pray, we simply use the time we have to pray fervently and earnestly.

As we grow more proficient in the practice of prayer, we learn more of the sweetness of God’s love, and soon we find it impossible to be without God. Thus, the old saint of God cannot imagine a life without prayer.

We want God’s presence in our lives. How easily that is attained. God is much more ready to give himself to us than we are to receive him. We have only to turn to God, to open our lives to God, and God will be there for us.

Thus, by prayer, we live in God, by prayer we breathe the very air of God. This is what we are called to do. This is what we are born to do.

If you have questions or comments, email Tony Grant

Last Modified: 1/20/04