“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Martin Luther
We have been called into a deep, thriving relationship with God. He is constantly pursuing us and longs to give us the desires of our hearts. The invitation to communicate with Him is always opened. We have full permission to give voice to the reality of our lives and the condition of our souls. We can approach the throne of God’s grace, knowing that He is a God who hears, sees and acts. He understands our struggles, hopes, heartaches, and dreams. As we pray, God’s heart and our hearts beat together. We speak…we listen. It is holy ground. It is essential for life.
Prayer is simple, yet at times incredibly complicated. There are many things that can become barriers to praying together. Distracting thoughts bombard our minds. We frantically search for the right words to say, worrying that we need to string them together in just the right sequence in order to unlock God’s power and grace. Our patterns of prayer can become predictable, making our hearts disconnected from our conversation. We strain to hear, and at times the silence is deafening. We wonder if our prayers are accomplishing anything good. Time is a precious commodity and it feels like a waste if we aren’t producing anything.
Prayer is a vital part of being a community that follows Jesus. It is essential for those who seek to join Him in building His Kingdom. This core practice helps form and shape our perspective and transforms us in the process. When we pray together we grow in intimacy and understanding with God and one another. This is the power of prayer.
That is why we believe that an essential element of a thriving relationship with God is praying together in community. It is as important as the air we breathe!
Take some time to think through how you cultivate the habit of prayer. What is the current state of your prayer life? With whom do you gather with on a regular basis to pray together? How has praying with others deepened your relationship with God and people? This is a great conversation to have in any context of ministry. Think through some ways to always keep praying together in the forefront of your community!