Kingdom-Come Praying

I don’t generally put too much confidence in surveys, but I tend to agree with most studies which show how little time Christians really spend in prayer. How is it that we have time for all the things we really want to do, but spend so little time on our knees? We spend hour upon hour watching television each week, surfing the internet, reading the newspaper and tending our gardens or whatever other hobbies we like to do. There’s nothing wrong with these things in and of themselves, but if they keep us from doing something more essential, such as praying, then we’re wasting time and opportunities God has given us.

Even a church can be so preoccupied with too many programs and activities. Some of these might have been prompted through God’s initiative and movement among His people. Others may just keep us busy, and distracted from the greater need for prayer.

When we do pray, either in our personal “prayer closet” or “where two or three are gathered” in Jesus’ name, I suspect we also ask for far too little, and we often ask for the wrong things. Our prayers can be so self-centered, without even intending them to be. We pray for things according to our will, how we think they should be done. Our corporate prayers are often dominated with requests for the sick (a good thing), yet we ask so little of Him to bring His kingdom (a greater thing).

Believe me when I say that I don’t spend near the amount of time in prayer that I should, either. Nor do I set the standard in Kingdom-come praying. I’ve read the accounts of great faithful men of the past who arose two hours before dawn each day and sought the Lord in fervent prayer. E.M. Bounds wrote a classic book called Power Through Prayer, in which he describes the powerful prayer lives of many godly preachers. One example:

John Welch, the holy and wonderful Scotch preacher, thought the day ill if he did not spend eight or ten hours in prayer. He kept a plaid that he might wrap himself when he arose to pray at night. His wife would complain when she found him lying on the ground weeping. He would reply: “O woman, I have the souls of three thousand to answer for, and I know not how it is with many of them!”

Such biographies leave me hungry for that fellowship with the Father, and I long to feast that fully at the table.

O God, fill me with such a heart of love for You, and such compassion for others. Make my consuming passion be for your glory. Whatever the cost. Whatever it takes. Make me a prayer warrior!