How often do you tell someone that you pray for them … yet never do?
We too often esteem prayer more than we engage in it. And how sad this is for the days in which we live.
As the culture grows darker, we need men and women who actually pray and stand against the tide of the encroaching evil.
Leonard Ravenhill often made the pithy statement: “no one is greater than their prayer life.” We may excuse ourselves with busyness and seemingly important work—yes, even spiritual. But if our lives were measured by the quality and quantity of prayer in our lives, most of us would be found sadly lacking.
Ravenhill’s full quote says this …
No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing. The people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers. Many players and payers, few pray-ers. Many singers, few clingers. Lots of pastors, few wrestlers. Many fears, few tears. Much fashion, little passion. Many interferes, few intercession. Many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.
Bold words for the days in which he lived. Far more convicting for ours.
Jonathan Edwards wisely observed that “when God is about to do a mighty new thing He always sets His people praying.”
Oh, how we need God in our day to do a mighty new thing!
Will you heed the Spirit’s cry in your life and begin to respond to Him in prayer? For “failing here, we fail everywhere” (Ravenhill).
I recently stumbled across this quote by John Piper on sustaining a heart for prayer: “If we’re going to sustain a heart for prayer, we’ve got to believe and feel that life is war.”
A good reminder indeed.
Dear friend, we are in a battle. The stakes are high. Time is short. And our greatest weapon is the one we have unlimited access to—communion with the King. May we be men and women who actually pray in this generation.
Know I am praying for you and cheering you unto that end,
–Nathan
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