THE PRAYER MEETING

I once read: “Few people want to be part of a church that doesn’t pray, but few people want to attend a prayer meeting.” I happen to know that this is very true. There are not many who are gifted for prayer at a public level it seems. Intercession is a difficult gift and calls for some of our toughest sisters and brothers. I have seen church groups of four hundred call a Prayer Meeting and have the same nine people show up each time. (O.K. seven people) Another observation is that I have rarely found church leadership and staff that attend Prayer Meetings. They may call for them and plan them, but not attend them.

Yet, without prayer we are working on our own. As the legendary Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) writer, teacher and evangelist wrote, “All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God.” (Chambers is famous for ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ devotional book) Without prayer and silence and listening we could assume to be doing our own calculating. We might be fans but not followers and this produces ideas like Jesus is a genie or something, and will give us what we want with good planning and a better budget and new sound system.

To be saltier salt and brighter light (Matthew 5:13-16) requires prayer and communication with the Father whether in a Prayer Meeting or meeting personally as a discipline…or both.

“And when you pray, don’t be like those people who don’t know God. They continue saying things that mean nothing, thinking that God will hear them because of their many words.” Jesus