Simply Pray
“Simple moments of prayer can have a resounding impact, not only for the moment but throughout your lifetime, as you ponder and glorify the Abba Father who hears our prayers and answers according to His will. He wants us to draw near to Him, to share our hurts, joys, and questions with Him. He wants us to impact the unbelieving world as we obediently pray and minister to them. Our Father will carefully unfold the events of our lives so that we will see His faithfulness and His good purpose for us in everything.”
Debra Swann, Lead Prayer Ambassador
Wisdom in a Whisper Ministries
Learn more about Debra and our prayer ministry here.
Reflection
Years ago, my daughter saw a cardinal fly into a window at our house and fall on its side, eyes closed and immobile. She pleaded with me to help save the bird. At that time, I didn’t realize when this happens, you are to prop the bird up so they can hopefully breathe and recover. On that particular day, with my daughter in tears, she and I, in simple faith, sincerity, and belief that God does indeed watch over the sparrows, lifted our prayers to Him. While we prayed, God gave us both a sense of peace, and shortly thereafter, the bird’s eyes opened, and it stood. It took some minutes for him to gain strength to fly off. Most people would laugh; in fact, when my daughter recounted the story to her Christian School principal, she was told it was probably just stunned and would have been fine. This one simple statement from a believer wounded my child’s faith for a long time as it negated the impact of prayer in petitioning the Lord for His help. God gives grace to the simple. Our prayers were simple, our faith was simple, and our acknowledgement that we were powerless without God’s intercession granted us a wonderful gift that day, not always to be understood by the world.
My daughter and I have never forgotten this time together in prayer. Recently, some thirty-five years later, as she and I discussed some difficult situations in her life, she brought up how God had answered her prayer for the cardinal and how important that moment had been in understanding how God truly cares for us and for His creation. This answered prayer so long ago had etched the truth of God’s faithfulness into her soul.
Application
So why is prayer important?
Prayer is a true marker of our faith. Our persistent prayer shows that we look to God in our helplessness for all things, and we believe He truly hears us and answers us. It allows us to release others and our worries totally to God’s providence as we draw closer in our walk as our strength and fruitfulness are restored by Him.
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
Reading the Word is very important, and through prayer, we are transformed from seeking our own will to desiring to seek His will, which honors Him as Creator and Lord. As we develop the discipline of making time to talk to Him, we grow in our desire to truly know Him, love Him, and glorify Him. He also reminds us in prayer of His many mercies that have been demonstrated to us throughout the unfolding of our lives. We grow to see that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Probably the most important reason prayer is important is that the Father wants us to continue with Christ’s ministry in lifting the unbelieving world to Him. We are the witnesses to the world as we openly pray for others and speak the truth of the gospel and salvation in Christ to them. We are an encouragement to the world as we demonstrate in a tangible way a high view of God. In “The Ministry of Intercessory Prayer” by Andrew Murray, he writes, “The work of intercession is Christ’s great work on earth, entrusted to Him because He gave himself as a sacrifice to God for men. The work of intercession is the greatest work a Christian can do. Give yourself as a sacrifice to God for men, and the work will become your greatest joy.” Prayer is the great power by which the Church fulfills its calling.
No matter how simple and humble your prayers are, God hears the intent of your heart. Your prayers are important to Him, your brothers and sisters in Christ, and to the unbelieving world. He will fill you with His Holy Spirit and enable you “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” Ephesians 4:1 May God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be glorified in our words and our prayers.
In Christ,
Debra Swann | Lead Prayer Ambassador
Wisdom in a Whisper Ministries