“But I am a man of prayer” (Psalm 109:4).

If there is one thing that characterizes a Christian, it ought to be prayer. Of course, I know the words of Jesus, that all men will know we’re disciples by reason of our love for one another, but whence does that love stem? Even the Lord Himself, everything He said and did, didn’t it derive from His intercourse with the Father?

I don’t think prayer can be emphasized enough. Paul writes, “Be devoted to prayer;” and, “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” And yet again, “Be unceasing in prayer.”

I believe that more is accomplished on the personal and public level by prayer than by anything else. Since this is true, how much more should we be given to it! Everything good and of God is birthed, nourished, and grows by means of prayer.

The last two evenings I was around men of prayer. Thursday, Barb and I were at the monthly Gatekeeper prayer meeting, and while all those there gathered are prayer warriors, one stands out to me more than anyone else, and that person is Larry Ford. Maybe it is because I know him better than I do the others (we are on the church board together), but you needn’t be around him long to understand his occupation; he is a man committed to the work of prayer. And my, when he gets started—watch out! At the onset, he is like a gentle lamb; when he gets going, a roaring lion! What else stands out about him is that he almost always ends up crying when he prays. He is the ‘weeping intercessor’ — not for the burden of things he is praying for, but for the presence of God which, when he begins to experience it, causes him to explode into expressions of gratitude. His is a wonderful example of a person devoted to prayer.

Last night I was at the hospital visiting my son in law, Jason, who went in Wednesday and underwent surgery to remove his appendix. My longtime friend Mike Kessler was there also; Mike had been assisting Jason earlier this week in dealing with what at that time was abdominal pain, the source of which was unknown. It was Mike who ultimately urged Jason to get to the hospital.

Mike is a man of prayer. As long as I have known him this has been his trademark. In fact—I am embarrassed to say this—he is so given to prayer that it is often bothersome to me, as I can be talking with him and right in the middle of the conversation he’ll redirect his words to the Father. It’s as if he just assumes you as spiritual as he and you will join right in! Is this a bad thing? Of course not! It is just annoying sometimes! I thank God, however, that he is the way he is. I wonder how many people have been benefitted by his prayers? My guess would be countless.

I just have to mention Barb here too. She is always stopping me in the middle of carrying on about this or that in order to pray about it. She prays about the most minuscule things, things I would never think nor care to pray about. And God answers her prayers! Of course He does! I think she is given to prayer far more than I know. She too is a great example of what I need to be and do.

I am challenged by Larry, Mike, and Barb; and I should be. Can I say this humbly—that I have long prided myself in the fact that I spend time with God every morning, in His word, in journaling, and in prayer? For some reason this doesn’t sound right! Yet when measured by the word of God, I’ve a long way to go before I would meet the New Testament standard. The key to growing in this direction isn’t that you have a habit of thus and such (as I do), it’s that the condition of your heart is such that prayer is the only proper approach to anything and everything. You just have to talk to God about it! You understand that you are completely dependent upon the goodness, kindness, and generosity of God.

I believe it was John Wesley who said, “God will do nothing but in answer to prayer.” If this is the case, and we want God to be moving in and through our lives, then we’d better be about the business of prayer!

History is changed by prayer. E.M. Bound is quoted as saying, “God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world the better the world will be, the mighter the forces against evil. The prayers of God’s saints are the capital stock of heaven by which God carries on His great work upon earth. God conditions the very life and prosperity of his cause on prayer.”

Paul, the man who understood this truth perhaps more than any other wrote, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority. . .”

I could go on. Reading God’s word is good—I don’t believe we can get enough of it. Journaling is good too—I love to write, and it is my way of delving more deeply into the word of God (as I am today). But neither should be at the expense of prayer. Reading and writing should point us to prayer. Admittedly, in my case prayer often gets squeezed out; not neglected, but shortened.

But prayer is not confined to my study early morning every day; as indicated above by the lives of my two friends, Mike and Larry, it is a manner of life. It’s to be an ongoing conversation, a constant resort to each situation, the first station you visit before every undertaking. It is not a religious exercise, but simply a relational quality between a man and his God.

Anyone who will ever read my journals or who knows me closely knows I have always been concerned about fulfilling my call in God—doing what I was created to do, accomplishing the work God assigned me to do (see John 17:3). S.D. Gordon said, “The greatest thing anyone can do for God and for man is to pray. You can do more than pray after you have prayed, but you can not do more than pray until you have prayed.” Jesus, our Supreme Example, taught “we ought always pray and not lose heart.” Paul Bilheimer wrote, “Prayer is where the action is.”

I have said enough. “I am a man of prayer” — but I’ve much room to grow. The good thing is I’ve the Holy Spirit, the word of God, and lots of others to spur me on in what is the most important and never ending work of the believer. It is time to pray.