Three Hour Prayer

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2

The great reformer Martin Luther once said, “I have so much to do that I will spend the first three hours in prayer.” Luther reportedly said this when asked about his busy schedule of preaching, shepherding, and translating the Bible. Three hours in prayer seems impossible, especially when there is so much to do. However, there is some great theology here. It shows a great dependency upon the Lord in the midst of our busy schedules.
 
I don’t know anyone who would say that their time in prayer with the Lord is great. We all could use a boost in our prayer life. Luther was right to make prayer a priority, especially with a busy schedule. Proverbs 16:9 says, The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. We can make plans for our busy day, but it is God who is sovereign over the day, and we need to seek His plan for our day first, rather than leaving Him out of it.

Here are a few ways to make prayer a more “regular” thing. Just do it, and I am not talking about putting on your Nikes. It means beginning with the discipline of making it a priority. Maybe it is five minutes early in the morning to pray over your day, your family, your friends, your church, and your pastors. Those five minutes will grow when we make it a regular priority.
 
Look for opportunities throughout the day to pray. Maybe you are driving to work or a meeting, and instead of listening to George Strait, spend some time talking with the Lord. Or maybe someone shares a struggle with you at work, and you think, I should pray for them. Do it right then and do it with them. I have never had anyone turn me down for this. It may seem weird at first, but why shouldn’t it be the norm?

Consider what prayer really is. Prayer is the direct communication with the creator and sustainer of all things, and He loves for us to talk with Him. He desires for us to come to Him with our joys and our struggles because it shows a dependency upon His goodness. He loves to answer our prayers according to His will when we offer them up to Him. Why would we not desire to pray?

May we be a people who express our dependency upon the Lord through prayer.