Effective Prayer

As I am writing, I would like to share a story about a man who had always wanted to go on an ocean cruise. For years, he put away a portion of his meager earnings until he had saved enough for his trip.

He packed a basket of peanut butter sandwiches because he knew he would be unable to afford any food once he boarded the ship. During the trip, the young man enjoyed the swimming, the sun deck, and the fresh air.

He also noticed how extravagantly the other passengers were eating. Everywhere he looked, he saw lavish spreads of appetizers, salads, fruits, breads, and desserts. At the end of the long buffet tables, chefs were carving mouth-watering slabs of beef, roast turkey, and racks of lamb.

Finally, on the last day of the cruise, the young man’s curiosity got the better of him. He stopped a passing steward who was carrying a room service tray and said to him, "Excuse me young man, how much does that meal cost?" The steward said, "Sir, all the food you see is included in the price of your ticket." The young man went away astonished.

As Christians, we share a similar fate. We can feast on God’s grace, or settle for the miniscule, (the little things in life). The thing that determines what we receive, is how we access the Father’s grace through a thing called prayer.

If we took a survey of strong vs. unstable marriages, we would find that the difference lies in the couples’ ability to communicate. Couples will tell you that effective communication is a must if a marriage is to survive. The same is true of our relationship with the Father.

God speaks to us through His Word, we respond through obedience, but we have access to his promises and are ushered into his presence through prayer.

Prayer is daily communication with God whereby believers develop an intimate relationship with their Father. It does not only involve communicating with the Father, but effective prayer involves the believer’s ability to listen as the Father speaks back to him. "Give us this day, our daily bread." Matthew 6:11 (KJV)

The depth of an individual’s prayer life reflects the depth of their relationship with God. As we grow in our relationship with God, we grow in our prayer life as well. This is why prayer was so intrinsic to the life of Christ.

In the book of Ephesians, the Apostle Paul called the deposits we receive from God through prayer, "spiritual blessings." All we as believers have to do is receive what has been promised to us through the Word of God.

The scripture declares, "Seeing we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness but in all points tempted as we are, yet, without sin. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need" Hebrews 4:14-16. How are we to accomplish finding the help we so desperately seek? Once again, my reply is "through a continual practice I refer to as prayer."

By Naomi J. Brown