Prayer

I just got done taking a class solely about prayer, and there are so many thoughts and quotes from that class in my mind right now. I feel like my whole view of prayer--what is is, why we do it, and how we do it--has changed. Here are some of the things that Mike Sullivan, the teacher of the course, said regarding prayer:

• Prayer is the greatest expression of our dependence on God.
• If we don't pray, we aren't actually depending on God.
• There is something about our affluence that blinds us to our utter dependence on God.
• Prayer is: 1) a relationship with God, 2) dependence upon God, and 3) worship before God.
• Prayer is necessary, effective, and commanded.
• We sometimes take prayer very lightly, but Scripture does not.
• It is assumed all throughout Scripture that followers of God should naturally pray.
• If we have a low view of God, we will have a low view of prayer. If we have a high view of God, we will have a high view of prayer.

And here are some other quotes from others about prayer:

• "Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness."    --George Mueller

• "As it is the business of tailors to make clothes and of cobblers to mend shoes, so it is the business of Christians to pray." --Martin Luther

• "Prayerlessness is the first sign of prideful independence." --Bob Sorge

• "Not only does God command us to pray, He permits us to pray. Prayer is both a must and a may, an obligation and a gift." --Ben Patterson

More than anything, I feel privileged and humbled to be invited to (and commanded to) speak to the God who created the universe. It is an honor that I take much too lightly at times, but I am so thankful that our God is a personal God who desires to hear from us. What an amazing truth!!