Written by John Coulombe, Director of Spiritual Development, Legacy Coalition
“When Jesus left his disciples with the responsibility of building His church, all He left behind was a prayer meeting…The world has yet to see what God can do in and with and through a church wholly devoted to Him in prayer.” – Armin Gesswein
I have always heard that our prayer life is one of the most vital parts of this life we enjoy with the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, prayer is one of the authenticating ‘birthmarks’ of a Christian in love with the Savior.
Remember the Privilege of Prayer
Our prayer lives allow us to be intimate with the Infinite, the Almighty, Jehovah God. What a privilege to have access to the God of the universe yet also call him Abba. He is both transcendent and immanent, infinite and personal.
God inspires awe and love, fear and friendship. Joseph Scrivens expressed it best in his song. “What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!”
How is your prayer life, grandparents? How is your church corporate prayer? Many churches today do not even have prayer meetings anymore. Maybe it is time to not only remember the privilege of prayer but reawaken to the power in prayer.
Reawaken to the Power in Prayer
I have had the blessed opportunity to attend prayer summits and mission trips where the power of God was on display. There was no mistaking His work in the lives of those who cried out humbly in faith. Their repentant broken spirits depended on God alone for the answers they so desperately needed.
God showed up! And I was amazed – but why was I amazed? God has told us in His Word to ask Him for our needs as well as the needs of others. Pray, expecting God to answer.
Refresh Your Prayer Life
Are you desiring the ‘awe’ in your walk with the Lord? Do you need to get the ‘zing’ back into the “ama-zing” grace you’ve known in the past? Then maybe it is time to do some bending and be willing to “waste” time, waiting on God.
Prayer gets us in touch with the Lord. Prayer gets us in touch with God’s people. And lastly, prayer gets God’s people in touch with their community and world. It is a touching experience when we touch God and His people – that’s ministry.
Can you imagine what God would do around here in our ministry to seniors, their families, and our community if we took prayer seriously and activated our faith? Legacy Coalition has free resources for developing a grandparenting prayer team. Find them here!
Additionally, read Acts 2 to refresh your imagination! Prayer is the tool that will set it all in motion. Maybe consider that as the senior members of our church community, we need to lead by example. Then watch out- it’s life changing!
结论
May we discover that our “wasting” time with God is of great value not only for ourselves but our families as our devotion and awe for God grows and deepens, enriching every part of and person in our lives. To God be the glory!
“What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Spirit can use – men of prayer, men mighty in prayer.” – E.M. Bounds
