Never Miss the Opportunity to Pray

Prayer is communication with Heaven that moves us beyond our initial salvation experience into a friendship with God, who speaks to us in His Word and listens to us in prayer.

Deuteronomy 4:7-8 tell us, “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to Him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws?” (NIV). The way to draw near to God is by prayer and the study of His great decrees in the Bible.

Even children can learn the secrets of a meaningful prayer life. Many years ago, James Rogers of the Alabama Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church wrote about Annie Clayton. As a child, she and her sister, Vanie, took a long walk one morning to collect scraps of wood as fuel for heating their family’s home. As they returned, Vanie collapsed from the lingering effects of cholera.

Annie, only five, was helpless. They sat beside the road not knowing what to do. Finally, Vanie said, “You know, Annie, a good while ago mother told us that if we ever got into trouble, we should pray, and God would help us. Now you help me get down upon my knees and hold me up, and we will pray.” The sisters prayed earnestly for someone to help them. Then they waited to see how God would answer.

Far down the street, they spotted a man who walked out of a factory and looked curiously up the street. But the man went back inside. He came out again, looked up the street, and reentered the factory. Then the man walked out a third time with his hat on.

Approaching the children, he said in a broken, German accent, “O children, what is the matter?” When they explained, he picked Vanie up in his arms and carried her home.

Once the girls were delivered, the gentleman told his story. He was the proprietor of a factory and had been working on payroll checks. Suddenly his vision had blurred. He had an impression that someone wanted to see him, so he stepped outside and tried to focus his eyes up and down the street. Seeing no one, he returned to his desk. The darkness in his vision grew worse, and the impression even greater. So he walked outside again, puzzled. Then he returned to his work a second time. But now, he found himself unable to write. The impression on his mind was urgent. So he fetched his hat and walked up the street until he saw the girls who had prayed earnestly for someone to come along.

Some Communication Tips

We can pray as effectively as those young girls. Our prayers can draw forth God’s answers and achieve divine results. Here are some of the simplest communication techniques for seeking God in prayer.

1. Establish a regular time for prayer each day.
2. Create a simple pattern for your prayers.
3. Include Scripture in your prayer time.
4. Pray with a heart of gratitude and praise.

The most powerful communication tool in the world is an earnest prayer to God from one of His children – He is always present, always loving, always listening – don’t miss the opportunity to pray.

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Excerpt provided by Turning Point Ministries, © 2022.