Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2001
Subject: Experience Atomic Power
Dear Ethan & Emily:
As I have told you many times, one of the things that has blessed me most over the past several years since my career change has been the long commute to work. Instead of this being a problem or aggravation, I have used this time to pray and commune with God. This has given structure and vitality to my prayer life and an intimacy with the Lord like nothing else I had ever experienced…ever! I not only pray going to work…but use most of the drive back home late in the evening to thank the Lord and praise Him for all He has done for me and my family during the day.
If I run into a traffic jam or stoppage, I have exchanged my “road rage” for additional prayer time….and I can’t tell you how this has blessed my life. What I have seen God accomplish is just beyond what I can put in words…not only what He has done in physical acts but most importantly in the internal changes and blessings I have experienced.
I was recently asked to write the Purpose Statement for the Prayer Commission at Church (of which I am a member). The following is the Statement I wrote with God’s leading and which has now been adopted:
The Mission Hills Prayer Commission shall be responsible for overseeing all prayer-related ministries of the Church and will endeavor to encourage the development of individual and corporate prayer through education, example, and exhortation. The Commission will purpose to make prayer a vital part of every ministry to the end that all come to the realization that God “delights in the prayers of the upright (Prov. 15:8),” that He desires His temple to be a “house of prayer for all nations (Is. 56:7), and that He can and will “answer our prayers with awesome deeds (Ps. 65:5).”
Never…never…let this important part of your Christian growth “slide.” My prayer life was rather haphazard for many years and trying to pray before you retire is just an invitation to snooze.
Peter had it right when he told the early Christians: “…be earnest and DISCIPLINED in your prayers.” 1 Peter 4:7. We make time for so many things in our lives. Equally so, you will have to “make time” and discipline yourself to pray.
Is it important? You better believe it, as it is the key to everything. It is our lifeline to God. Be reminded that even “…Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” Luke 5:16. Although we can pray at any time and in the midst of many people, there is also a place for privacy and for being alone with God.
Those “awesome deeds” referenced in Ps 65 above really excite me. In a like manner, James reminds us: “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has GREAT POWER and WONDERFUL RESULTS.” He goes on to mention Elijah (“as human as we are”) who prayed for no rain and none fell for 3 1/2 years! (vv. 17-18). If we are trying to live a godly and righteous life, our prayers can have more power than an atomic bomb. Never forget the experience of Joshua (one of my favorite Bible persons) who prayed and “…the sun and moon stood still until the Israelites had defeated their enemies.” Joshua 10: 12 – 13.
And, in closing…don’t hold back anything. We are specifically told in Philippians 4: 6- 7 to “…pray about everything.” As a minimum, you will “…experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.” Even if the sun and moon don’t stand still for you, this is “awesome” in itself.
Use the power God has made available to you….today and every day.
Sending my love,
Dad