I am currently reading a very simple book on prayer, titled “Prayer: How Praying Together Shapes the Church” by John Onwuchekwa. Allow me to share here a few thoughts about why prayer was so important to Jesus and His disciples. As you read this would you consider committing to pray for the ministry of globalLead?
The setting is the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus called his disciples to come with him to watch and pray (Mark 16:32-42, Mt. 26:36-46, Luke 22:40-46). Note the different outcomes of either prayer or prayerlessness:
“The story of Gethsemane is as much about the power of prayer as it is about the inevitable failure that comes from prayerlessness. The episode is sandwiched between the disciples promising faithfulness to Jesus and the disciples running away in fear. It’s sandwiched between Peter saying, “I’d die for you,” and Peter denying Jesus.”
“Jesus’s faithfulness to do God’s task is directly tied to his prayer. The disciples’ faithlessness is directly tied to their prayerlessness.”
“What happened to the sleepy, prayerless disciples in the garden? They tapped into the power of God through prayer. God strengthened their hands when they surrendered their hearts to do his will. They began to look like their Savior. They finally understood that the life-changing work of the gospel isn’t strengthened in the public eye. Rather, it’s strengthened in private before the eyes of God and our family in Christ.”
Prayer is integral to the ministry of globalLead and the life of a Christ-follower. If we’re honest with ourselves, we know we need it more than sleep. In prayer, we receive strength and direction to be obedient followers of Christ, and by praying with the Church, we are built up in our faith and refocused on the will of God. Prayer is God’s gift to us and the pathway to full surrender to and holy relationship with God–our greatest calling.