No Time to Pray?
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The key to praying effective prayers
“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1
Martin Luther was an important and busy guy. The previous sentence may be a gross understatement, considering that Luther is often credited with starting the Protestant Reformation. Even if he wasn’t the originator, he was certainly the most prolific and fiery of its early supporters. Despite his hectic work schedule, copious writing, preaching, teaching, and other plentiful tasks, he still diligently made time to pray. He is quoted as saying “I have so much to do (today) that I should spend the first three hours in prayer.”
Jesus too was an important and busy guy. (That sentence is clearly an even larger understatement than the one about Martin Luther!) As Savior of the world, Jesus spent His days traveling, teaching, arguing with religious leaders, healing sickness, driving out demons, and proclaiming the salvation available to the world through Himself as God’s one and only Son. (Among other things!) Yet “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). Mark gives us an example: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).
The question for us is: If Martin Luther and Jesus Himself made time to pray, how can we possibly say we’re too busy?
Jesus begins his teaching on prayer during the Sermon on the Mount by saying “WHEN you pray”, not “IF you pray” (Matthew 6:5). It’s tough sometimes, because prayer doesn’t come naturally for everyone. Speak honestly to God: praise, frustrations, triumphs, fears, and deepest longings. After all, God already knows you better than you know yourself… there’s nothing to hide!
Remember that prayer doesn’t have to be long or complicated. It doesn’t need to be “holy sounding” either. You know what I mean, those prayers with all the right-sounding words that somehow end up sounding hollow. Use the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13 or Luke 11:2-6) as a guide, but not as a formula. Don’t just pray it rigidly, try to pray spontaneously, from the heart.
Just never use the excuse that you’re “too busy.” If Martin Luther and Jesus had time for prayer, you do too!
Questions: How do you make prayer part of your day? What happens when we don’t pray? Let’s spend some time praying together today.
Stacy,
Thanks for letting us know how you used this devotional! It’s great to hear how something that we posted here on this site several years ago was used to encourage an entire movement of prayer warriors!! Praise the Lord!
Emmanuel and Stella, thank you to both of you too for taking the time to leave your comments and encouraging words. I love seeing how God uses these daily devotionals to encourage others just when they need it…doesn’t that just have his handprint all over it?!!
this devotionalis amazing !!!!
simple, easy and deep !!
Pur God bless everyone !!
have a great day !!
This Devotional Today was amazing. I have been very busy and lately I have not been reading God’s word and praying like I should. I can look into my scheduled and see the open space I have in it. It is time that I stop making excues and start back prying like I use to. Thank You so much.
Thank you for this. A month ago, some college students, my children, and I started a movement (that had really started over the summer at Village Creek Bible Camp in Lansing, Iowa, where our children attend and the college students work) called Pray! Shirt Fridays. I shared this devotional on our Facebook page this morning: https://www.facebook.com/PrayShirtFridays
Thank you for the encouragement to pray anytime and anywhere about anything!
This was the kick in the butt I needed today!
I loved what Liana shared, “I once beat myself up for falling asleep during my prayer time, when a friend of mine said to look at it as if I were falling asleep in God’s arms.” Sometimes when I waken during the night I use that time to pray and often fall asleep praying. I just returned from a week’s vacation and this devotional reminded me I need to get back on track with all my healthy habits. #1 is regular prayer. I kept praying during vacation, they just got shorter. Thank you and God Bless…
Thank you so much for this devotion. As Christians who understand the constant battles being fought in the heavenly places, I do not believe not praying or having sufficient time to pray is an option. We need and have to constantly absorb ourselves in prayer so that like Jesus said we do not fall into temptations. The days are evil. The end is near. The bible enjoins us to be sober and watchful unto prayer.
One of the enemies’ greatest weapon is busyness. As Christians, we have a lot to fight for. I do not believe these battles can be fought the way Paul enjoins in Ephesians 6:10 – 13 without a solid and foundational prayer life.
Thank you and God bless you all
Yes, prayer can be spontaneous, as well as structured. But I wanted to thank you for the conviction, so to speak lol. I was at the emergency department of our hospital last night until 11pm, with my son. By the time I got home, I was exhausted and ready for bed. The last words to my husband before I toddled off to bed to fall into a deep sleep were, “I hope that God understands if I don’t spend time in prayer tonight”. hhhhmmmm. Not that he would mind, but he would prefer if I did. I once beat myself up for falling asleep during my pryaer time, when a friend of mine said to look at it as if I were falling asleep in God’s arms.
Have a great day everyone
Yes, we can pray anywhere, anytime. Jesus just wants to hear from us no matter what kind of prayer it is. He doesn’t care if it’s a “flowery” sounding prayer…He knows are hearts…and that’s where are prayers should come from.
Prayer can be done anytime anyplace, no matter how busy we are. Yes it is better to have a quite place to prayer but when we are really busy with what erver we are doing we can be praying to GOD as well. as long as it doesn’t interfer with things like driving etc.