Prayer and Study

Lately I have felt such a burden to study the Word and to spend a great deal of time in prayer. God tells us in Romans 10:17, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” When we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, we do not magically change into a super Christian. We have to grow. We must spend time in the scriptures and learn what God has to say about how creation began and the struggle that man has gone through to return to Him. The Bible also provides instruction to us about how to live our lives. Without it, we would not know what He would have us to do.

Studying the Bible is not enough, though. I have found that as I study, I am more drawn to prayer. As I pray, I long to study more. As I do both, I am convicted of my shortcomings and filled with a stronger desire to live only for Him! Lately, I feel like all I want to do is plunge headlong into a life of service to my Lord. It is such a powerful desire. This is what God meant when He said in Psalms 37:4, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give you the desires of thine heart.” He did not mean that we can ask for anything we want and He’ll give it to us. This doesn’t mean a new car or a bigger house. It means that God’s desires will become the desires of your heart!

Prayer is an integral and often the most neglected part of our Christian walk. Paul tells us in Romans 12:12, “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer,” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “Pray without ceasing,” and in Ephesians 6:18, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” These are just three of the scriptures regarding prayer that we can find to support its importance in the Christian’s life. We need to be on our knees and on our faces before the Lord remembering that prayer is a part of our communication with Him. Prayer is when we talk and reading scripture is when we listen. Both are a vital part of our daily conversation and communion with God. These we must do to grow in Him.

May God richly bless your walk with Him.

Grace and peace.