Prayer does not equip us for the greater works – prayer is the greater work.
– Oswald Chambers
Oh, how I wish I knew more about this. It seems that as the years go by, we get better at virtually everything we do.
… better at managing a budget.
… better at understanding technical equipment.
… better at pastoral skills.
… better at rehearsal techniques.
… better at arranging, writing, speaking, playing, running a meeting, planning a choir tour, conducting, and on and on.
But, are we any better at praying?
There is a direct correlation between the acts of God and the prayers of His people. And yet, so much of the time, we settle for what can be achieved with more of everything else but no more prayer.
We have better visuals. We have better monitor mixes. We have better lighting controls, sound systems, and singers on the team. Our pastor is cool, and our facility is amazing. We are writing our own songs, making our own EPs, streaming our services, starting a new podcast, and hosting our own conference so people from miles around can come to see how we are doing what we do.
But, have we learned how to pray?
And even more sobering still, what will God do in our lives to show us just how much we need to learn how to pray?
Today, will you join me in an echo of the question the disciples asked Jesus so long ago in Luke 11?
Lord, teach us to pray.
