How many persons can you name whose prayers are recorded in the Bible? Stop now and make a list. Then note where and why they prayed.
STOP NOW and make your list.
Did anything about your list surprise you? Maybe you are surprised by how few prayers you can remember.
I can help you. In the Bible the first person who prayed was Adam: then the man (Adam) said, “This at last is bone of my bones!” Prayer is talking to God, and Adam is expressing his delight with Eve to God. I am sure Adam is talking to God, because there is no one else there. Our prayers, too, can be spontaneous exclamations of joy or sorrow.
Here’s another famous prayer story: Daniel in the lions den. Did you know Daniel was thrown in the den of hungry lions because he was praying and giving thanks to God? Then it was the King, who threw Daniel in, who prayed the lions wouldn’t eat Daniel! You can read it in Daniel chapter 6.
See if you can guess who prayed this: “In my distress, O LORD, I called to you, and you answered me. From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and you heard me.”
Give up? Here’s another hint: “The water came over me and choked me; the sea covered me completely, and seaweed wrapped around my head.” That’s right; it’s Jonah. Who else would be praying with seaweed around his head?
As you can see, we can pray any time and our prayers can express, joy, thankfulness, desperation and terror.
And we can pray anywhere. Jesus prayed publicly and he prayed alone. (see my blog on praying in secret.) Even in our noisy world we can get with God and talk. Susanna Wesley, mother of Charles, John and a bunch of other kids, was known for praying with her apron thrown over her head so she could be alone with God and pray.
Pray because you are thankful. Pray because you are loved.
Pray because you are lonely; God always listens.
Pray because God invites you to: “Call to me when trouble comes; I will save you, and you will praise me.”
Pray because God cares for you. ”Praise him, you servants of the LORD!……He does not neglect the poor or ignore their suffering; he does not turn away from them, but answers when they call for help.”
Scripture references: Genesis 2:23, Jonah 2:2, Psalms 50:15, Psalm 22:23
Hope Walking 