PRAYER: A HALLMARK OF A CHRISTIAN
Robert
Morgan writes that as the 25th President, William McKinley, lay
dying from an assassin's bullet in Buffalo, New York, on September 14, 1901,
the Lord's Prayer was on his lips. Prayer had been a lifelong practice that
guided McKinley through his political career and into the presidency. McKinley
had been born into a devout Christian home fifty-eight years prior and was born
again at the age of fourteen. According to his pastor, A. D. Morton, young
McKinley stood up during a youth meeting and said, "I have sinned; I want
to be a Christian ... I give myself to the Savior who has done so much for
me."
McKinley's
mother, a woman of deep Prayer, taught him to pray by example and
encouragement, but his greatest lessons in Prayer were forged under the
pressures of his duties as President of the United States. One of his most
significant decisions arose in 1898 regarding the status of the Philippines
following the Spanish-American War.
One
day, a delegation of church leaders visited the White House, and McKinley
informed them of his decision to resolve the crisis in the Philippines. "The
truth is, I didn't want the Philippines," he said. "I did not know
what to do. I sought counsel from all sides, including Democrats and
Republicans, but received little help. I walked the floor of the White House
night after night until midnight, and I am not ashamed to tell you, gentlemen,
that I went down on my knees and prayed Almighty God for light and guidance
more than one night.
And
one night late it came to me this way." McKinley relayed the strategy that
developed in his mind as he prayed: that the Philippines should be taken
seriously and helped, that the United States should "by God's grace do the
very best we could by them as our fellow-men for whom Christ died."
McKinley added, "And then I went to bed, and went to sleep and slept
soundly."[1]
He concluded his last address to
the people in Buffalo, New York, with this Prayer: "Our earnest prayer is
that God will graciously vouchsafe prosperity, happiness, and peace to all our
neighbors, and like blessings to all the peoples and powers of earth."[2] Our country and the world
would be different if the current presidents and prime ministers followed the
example of the 25th president, McKinley, whose life and death were
guided by Prayer.
The
Apostle Paul began his new life in Christ and continued throughout his life,
even unto death in Prayer. As we conclude our In Him sermon
series, we will examine the Apostle Paul's final remarks to the believers in
Colosse and how they will impact us as we determine to live Christ-like lives
in this world. Colossians 4:2-6 Paul's parting words to the Colossian believers
were, "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Col
4:2. A faithful Christian doesn't live his life independently on his own terms;
instead, he is prayer-dependent. Let us explore further: Prayer - A Hallmark
Of A Christian.
I.
Prayer is a Hallmark of a True Christian
The
apostle Paul began his letter to the Colossians by letting his heart be known
to them. His heart was filled with thanksgiving and Prayer as he heard their
faith in Christ Jesus and their love for God's people. Praying for Colossians
was not a one-time thing; Paul continued to do so to some extent, as he said, "We
have not stopped praying for you." (Col 1:9). What was Paul Praying for? For God to fill them with
the knowledge of his will through all the Spiritual wisdom and understanding.
So that they may live a
life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in
every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. That
they might be strengthened so that they may have great
endurance and patience, and give
joyful thanks to the Father. Paul's Prayer can be a model prayer for all
believers. (Col 1:9-12)
After praying for them
fervently and continually, he wanted Prayer to become a daily part of the
believers' lives, so he gave them this instruction: "Devote yourselves to
prayer, being watchful and thankful." The Greek word for devotion means to
endure, to tarry, continue steadfastly with someone, to cleave faithfully to
someone. In this case of Prayer, we are called to commitment, steadfastness,
faithfulness, waiting patiently, and endurance.
Prayer
is a hallmark of true Christians. A hallmark is a distinguishing
characteristic, trait, or feature. Hallmark also refers to purity, or
genuineness. In that sense, Prayer to God is one of the characteristics of a
true and genuine Christian. After Jesus ascended to heaven, Prayer became a
regular feature among the 120 disciples of Christ. As instructed, they all
joined together constantly in Prayer, along with the women, Mary, the mother of
Jesus, and his brothers in the upper room. (Acts 1:14). As a result of their
fervent Prayers, God poured out the Holy Spirit, and a three-thousand-member
Church community began. The early Church members devoted themselves to the
apostles' teaching, fellowship, and Prayer. Acts 2:42.
What distinguished the early Christians from
the rest of the people was their devotion to Prayer. We see similar devotion to
Prayer in other religions such as Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Wilma and I
lived in Hyderabad, closer to a Mosque where we used to hear calls to Prayer
five times a day. When
the call goes out, all Muslims are mandated to pray.
We
saw similar devotion among the Hindus as well. Unfortunately, we don't see similar devotion among many Western
Christians. Many of us are too lazy to pray. How can we call ourselves
Christians when we seldom or never pray?
II. Cultivating a Consistent and Lasting
Prayer Life.
How
can we cultivate a consistent and lasting Prayer Life? First, we have to
understand what Prayer is all about. Some of us grew up in homes where we
learned to say grace during three meals, and that is the only Prayer we may
have ever known. Others grew up in Churches where only the pastor or the priest
did all the prayers.
Because
of such a lack of understanding and wrong models, even some born-again
Christians find it difficult to pray to God. At Hope Church, we believe that
all Christians can and must pray, as Prayer is our lifeline. Therefore, we
encourage our members to learn and grow in both their private and corporate
prayer lives. Here is how Praying to God began in the Bible.
Genesis
2:25-26, Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and
named him Seth. Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time,
people began to call on the name of the Lord." The verse does
not claim that Prayer began for the first time, but collective worship and Prayer
became a defining characteristic of humanity. The name Enosh carries man's vulnerability and mortal
condition. By naming his son Enosh, Seth highlights human weakness in contrast
to God's sovereignty. The Hebrew word Qara meant to cry out, to proclaim, to
praise and celebrate, and another prominent use was to call upon God's name.
Prayer is nothing but crying out to or calling
on God. What and when do we call on God for? Consider these biblical examples
that called on God often in desperation. God saw the suffering and the
oppression of the Israelites in the hands of the Egyptians. God said, "I
have heard them crying out, so I have come down to rescue them." He sent
out a deliverer. Ex 3:7-10.
When people cried out for food and water, Moses
prayed to God, and He sent them Manna, Quail, and water, taking care of them
for 40 years in the wilderness. God heard the cries of Abraham and Sarah and
gave them a son, Issac, through whom the blessings came to all of us.
Another childless mother, Hannah, was
distraught in her spirit. Year after year, she pleaded with God for a child. At
times, without words, she prayed in her heart. Seeing her moving lips but not
hearing her voice, the chief priest Eli rebuked her for being drunk. Hearing
her cries, God granted her a child, Samuel, who became one of the greatest
prophets of Israel.
In the OT, when people were in critical and
chronic need, they called out to God. Several Psalms are prayers of David, who
learned to cry out to God in his desperation. Psalm 34:6-7, "This poor man
called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel
of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them."
Jesus was a great example of someone who prayed
fervently to God, especially during times of anguish. During
the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with
fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he
was heard because of his reverent submission."
Hebrews 5:7. If Jesus, being the Son of God, prayed fervently, are we his
followers to do anything less? The way we can cultivate and grow in our prayer
life is not by listening to or reading about it, but by getting down on our
knees and crying out to God. This is the foundation of a consistent and lasting
prayer life. Praying in Jesus' name opens the doors of heaven and ushers us
into the presence of Almighty God, who hears and answers our prayers.
