The feast of prayer

By Scott McDermott

The Lord continues to call his people to the place of prayer. Sadly for some, the call to prayer may be heard as a call to a lifeless spiritual routine. For others it is a discovery that prayer is far from a futile spiritual exercise. They are discovering that this call to prayer is an invitation to come and partake of God's life-giving presence, and to join him in his will for the world. In this call to prayer, it seems that the Lord is radically addressing the way in which the church functions, and in so doing is calling each church and each individual to discover again the power of prayer.

Fundamentally, it seems that the Lord is once again reminding us of the nature of prayer itself. In his book Teach Me to Pray Tom Albin provides one of the best understandings I have read on the nature of prayer. Albin recounts a lecture given on prayer by Metropolitan Anthony Bloom. The lecture began with these words, "Don't pray." Why would such a noted expert on prayer provide such disturbing advice? Albin records his reason: "Most people are amazed when I give them this advice, but all the petty problems in prayer reflect an inadequate understanding of what it is all about. As long as people consider prayer a duty they must perform or a rite they must practice, they should not pray. God does not need our half-hearted murmurings. When people come to the place where they realize that prayer is not an obligation or a rite but something absolutely essential to the life of the soul, hen they will pray." Prayer is not optional, prayer is essential for spiritual life and personal renewal.

Sometimes I have heard it said, "If prayer is essential, then prayer is work, and God has not called us to work to earn his favor." Indeed, God has not called us to earn his favor. However, prayer is notthe means of earning od's favor, prayer isa means of apprehendinghis favor. Prayer is like eating or drinking. Seldom, if ever, have I met anyone that viewed eating and drinking as work. Why? Because first of all eating and drinking are viewed largely as a pleasure in our lives, and secondly because of the benefits eating and drinking provide us. After all, we get to live if we eat and drink. Conversely, if we don't, the alternative is not nearly as attractive. As the church eats and drinks of God's presence through prayer, life happens. It's a little wonder that John Wesley called prayer "a means of grace," since God pours out his grace over his people through prayer.

I am witnessing this very dynamic in the life of Washington Crossing United Methodist Church, the congregation I pastor. I recently had lunch with a man who shared with me that the Lord was calling him to get up at 5:30 in the morning to spend time in prayer. What is most intriguing is that his testimony is not unusual. There are many others doing the same thing. We are learning that God wants to soak all that we do with prayer. So, we have set out to do just that. Our worship services and even our prayer meetings begin with 30 minutes of often intense intercession. Intercessors pray during the services. At times, they even stand in the back of the sanctuary while I am preaching, praying for the power of God to move upon the hearts of the people in attendance. Our worship services always end with people receiving prayer. Sometimes so many people respond to the invitation that it is difficult to find enough prayer team members to personally pray over each one. Our weekly Sunday night prayer meeting has about 150 to 200 people who pray for two to three hours (and sometimes longer). Our youth have set aside an evening for intercession. We have even made a commitment to pray around the clock, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, based upon the old Moravian statement, "No one works unless someone prays." While all the hours aren't filled yet, over 100 hours are filled. As the senior pastor of the church, I realize that prayer is my chief priority. Why? Because I have learned that I can't do it without him! It is just that simple.

With all of this prayer, people are loving Jesus more. They want to praise him, worship him, even dance in delight before him. They desire to walk in ways of holiness and freedom. They are looking for ways to share the message of God's good news with family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. It just seems to be naturally flowing out of their lives. It is hard to believe that church could be like this, but I can honestly say "I didn't do it." After all, it's not my church, it's God's.

As so many are responding to this present call to prayer at the beginning of this new millennium, new life is happening to individuals and churches throughout the world. Let's face it, if God's people are to live, if God's church is to be revived, and if revival is to be sustained, then the people of God must heed his invitation to pray.

Scott McDermott is the senior pastor of Washington Crossing United Methodist Church in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania. He is an adjunct professor at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Dr. McDermott is a contributing author to Power, Holiness, and Evangelism(Destiny Image).