OUR NEED TO PRAY

Col. 4:2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

To devote one's self to prayer means that there is a commitment to pray. Prayer is deemed to be a necessity and not a safety valve in time of need or desire. Prayer is an attitude of the heart we live by. It is intentional. It is a natural part of how we live out our lives. Prayer is an expression of our heart's desire for God. It is the soul's lifeblood. It is our first response, not an afterthought.

When we pray, we are to have an alert mind. We are to be aware of what we are praying for We are to pray with purpose. We are to pray in tune with the heart and will of God. We are to pray intellectually and not just emotionally. We are to pray knowing what we need. We are to pray as well knowing what we don't need.

When we pray, we are to have thankful hearts. A thankful heart is Christ-focused. It is a heart that is sensitive to who the Lord is, what He has done, and what difference He is making in one's life today. A thankful heat understands what might have been true in his life had not Jesus saved him from his sin. A thankful heart is mindful of the riches of grace and the resources of heaven that are his to enjoy and employ. A thankful heart does not take for granted life in God or the things of God.

Prayer with thanksgiving guards the soul from vain repetitiousness and self-centeredness. Prayer is not a duty, it is a privilege. Prayer is not something we do quickly so we can rush into something else. It is a waiting on the Lord, basking in the glow of His presence, savoring our time with Him. If we don't have time to wait before Him, we will soon dry up spiritually and wander away from Him.

Prayer is intentional, knowing that the Lord is our lifeblood. It is a time of drawing from Him what we need for life and giving Him what we don't need. It is a time for soul cleansing and refreshing. It is a time in which we let Him carry our life burdens so we can be free to live the free and full life He died to give us.

Prayer is fellowship with God, and if you aren't praying, you are slowly dying spiritually.