For 30 years I’ve attended the National Prayer Breakfast, a wonderful occasion when people gather from all over the world. But please, do not confuse the Jewish or Christian disciplines of prayer with what is a celebration of civil religion.
For the Christian, prayer involves the most intimate relationship with God Himself. And we are encouraged to personally bring our needs to God. The Apostle Paul wrote to the struggling church at Philippi, “Do not be anxious about anything. But in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God” (Phil. 4:6).
Prayer is an honest, heart-felt conversation with God. We pray and listen.
I keep in my pocket a list of people for whom I intercede before the Lord daily. High on that list are family, the President and government leaders for whom we are specifically commanded to pray that we might live peaceable lives, and, of course, the Church.
The most consistent Christian prayer is what is known as the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13). I try to go through that verse by verse each day, and I find that it covers most of my spiritual responsibilities, to seek first the Kingdom of God, to be delivered from evil, to forgive others as I have been forgiven, to seek each day my daily bread.
The question not asked, but a very important one, is: Does God answer prayers? Yes.
Thirty-four years ago this August, in the midst of the Watergate crisis, I prayed in a flood of tears for God to take me as I was. He did. From that moment on, Christ came into my life. Nothing has been the same since; nothing can ever be the same again. He has continued to answer prayers, even if not exactly as I would like.
I preach regularly in prisons and always tell the inmates about the two thieves crucified on either side of Jesus. I tell them they must choose which thief they will be like. The first thief dying on the cross next to Jesus looked at him and said, “You’re God. Get us out of here!” That’s a prayer everyone prays; even atheists will pray it if they’re in enough trouble. But the second thief understood what the first didn’t. He looked at the second thief and said, “No. He’s innocent. We’re getting what we deserve.” That’s known as repentance, recognizing Jesus as the Son of God.
The second thief then said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered this prayer directly, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
The second thief got it right for all of us.
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