Before I launch into my thoughts on today’s blog topic, I just wanted to say a little something about my one-month hiatus.  Family friends lost their 29-year old son to brain cancer in April, and I felt I needed some time off from my various activities, including this blog, to grieve.  It was also a time of deep intercessory prayer for our friends, their extended family and friends as we all began the journey of processing our grief.  At the same time, we were able to trust in God’s presence, His love and mercy and comfort during this time as we unburdened our hearts in prayer. 

Prayer is one of the most important aspects of Christian worship and in the every day life of a Christian.  In worship, we pray as a congregation, as a community; we may belong to a group that prays for fellow congregants, family, and friends in our community.  We offer prayers in our personal devotions throughout the week.  Prayer should permeate our daily lives, as children of God. 

Through Christ, we have the opportunity to approach God as a loving father.  According to Scripture, God wants to hear the prayers of his children.  In worship, we have the opportunity to offer our prayers to our heavenly Father.

Prayer is one of the central themes of divine revelation.  From the beginning of the Old Testament through the end of the New Testament, God invites people into his presence to commune with Him.  Even though we are sinners, by God’s grace we have fellowship with Him.  Prayer is a critical part of this relationship as God invites us, through the forgiveness of sins, to speak with Him.

Early Christian worship is defined in Scripture largely by prayer.  In Acts 2, Luke describes worship with three activities – the teaching of doctrine, the breaking of bread (Holy Communion), and prayers.  In Acts 6:4, the apostles define their ministry by two acts – teaching and praying for the church.  Deacons were appointed in the early church to do many of the activities the apostles were sometimes struggling to keep up with, so that the apostles could spend more time in teaching and prayer.  Even back then, people were aware of time management and delegation!  Thus, prayer is a central act for both the church and the apostle’s ministry.

Prayers, then are not just an additional activity that we do during worship, but are an integral part of the public gathering of God’s people.  Everyone prays – pastors, lay leaders and congregations.  Paul encourages his student Timothy in 1Timothy 2:1-2: 

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

According to Paul, the extent of prayer offered by the church is universal.  Because God desires the salvation of all, the church should also pray for all.  This includes people/authorities whom you may consider enemies! 

James the apostle describes the nature of prayer within the church in his letter.  He notes that prayer should accompany all situations.  James 5:13: 

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” 

In difficult times, both the one suffering and that person’s faith community should be praying.  James says that in trials of sickness, the elders should pray and anoint the one suffering with oil (James 5:14).  We ask for forgiveness through prayer.  All of these facets of prayer are reflected in our worship service:

• Believers should continually be in prayer for one another; those called to public ministry are to spend much of their time in prayer.
• We should pray for all people, Christian or otherwise, including those who are enemies of the church.
• We should pray for those in the church, thanking God for our faith and asking that our faith be strengthened.
• Prayer accompanies us through all the seasons of our lives, especially in times of suffering, sickness and sinfulness.

Prayers, then are not just an additional activity that we do during worship, but are an integral part of the public gathering of God’s people. 

We do not limit ourselves to one particular time in the worship service to pray.   I’ve already discussed some forms of prayer earlier in this blog:  the Kyrie, the collect, certain hymns which are prayers.  We pray when we collect the offering, and offer several prayers during Holy Communion.  However, there is one part of the worship service that is devoted to an extended amount of prayer time, and that is the time of the Prayers of Intercession, which I will discuss further next week.

What does your prayer life look like outside of worship?  Have you incorporated daily devotions, including prayer, in your daily routine?  I encourage you to consider doing so, if you haven’t already.  Over the years, I’ve come to treasure my one-on-one time with the Lord to be indispensable and essential to my relationship with God, and to my own emotional and spiritual well-being.  I believe my day doesn’t have the right focus unless I spend that time with the Lord in the morning.  I confess that sometimes I don’t get around to my devotions until later in the day, and occasionally not at all.  I’m definitely not perfect, but those imperfect times remind me that prayer must be my daily priority. 

And here again is my closing prayer for you.  May grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love!  Amen.