Prayer

In Matthew 7:7-11 Jesus encourages us to pray - and it is a great encouragement - he promises that God our Father will not only open the door to us when we pray, but that he will hear and answer as the loving heavenly Father he is, giving us only good things.

So why don't we pray? Why are church prayer evenings always, at every church, the worst attended meetings. If we had a meeting about what colour we should paint the hall, I reckon more people would come!

Perhaps it's the embarrassment or fear of praying with others.

But in the sermon on the mount (Matt 5-7) Jesus repeatedly commands & exhorts us to pray. And he concludes in chapter 7 with some stark warnings to those who don't listen & obey his teaching. Such people don't produce good fruit, are hypocrites, and are building their house on the sand. When judgement comes their house will fall with a great crash.

It's a stern warning that we always think applies to someone else. But those of us who are lazy about prayer better listen up! Prayer is not optional.

J.C.Ryle, in 'A Call to Prayer' speaks very plainly about this (at times I think he actually over-states the case, but sometimes you have to do that to make your point!):

To be prayerless is to be without God, without Christ, without grace, without hope, and without heaven. It is to be on the road to hell. Now can you wonder that I ask the question, Do you pray?

 and again,

Never be surprised if you hear ministers of the gospel dwelling much on the importance of prayer. This is the point we want to bring you to; we want to know that you pray. Your views of doctrine may be correct. Your love of Protestantism may be warm and unmistakable. But still this may be nothing more than head knowledge and party spirit. We want to know whether you are actually acquainted with the throne of grace, and whether you can speak to God as well as speak about God.

 Robert Murray M'Cheyne summed it up, "A man is what he is on his knees before God, and nothing more."

Now, let's get on with praying!