Praying with Your Eyes Wide Open

Paul didn't close his eyes when he prayed. I have a hunch he didn't kneel all the time either. Perhaps you're wondering how I know this. If you'd assumed the New Testament never describes Paul's body language in prayer, you'd be right. But in his own letters, Paul writes that he prayed all the time, night and day, at all times and on all occasions, endlessly, continually, etc. What's more, he instructed you and me to pray without ceasing. Yet Acts makes it clear that Paul was on the road or out and about ministering most of the time. When he wasn't on the road, he was writing half the New Testament. So it stands to reason that many of Paul's prayers were offered while walking, riding, standing amid crowds in the temple, or locked hand and foot in stocks at one prison or another.

I suspect one reason prayer is difficult for many Christians is because our definition is so restrictive. We assume one must kneel, bow his head, and work through a lengthy written list of requests. In fact, the Bible mentions godly people who pray while standing, kneeling, prostrate on the ground, waiting by a highway, lying on their beds, under water, and hanging from a cross. Apparently, you can talk to God the way you talk to other people you love and respect- while walking, riding, standing in line, or wandering around in a wilderness area. In fact, if we don't learn to pray in all those ways plus others as well, we will never fulfill Paul's directive to pray without ceasing, will we?

I find that my prayer life cycles through four distinct phases:

• The Dynamic phase is when my spiritual life is clicking on all six cylinders, my prayers come easy and often, and I find myself constantly thanking God for all his blessings.
• Then comes the Difficult phase. I still make time to pray throughout the day, but it's more challenging. Life has become hectic and over scheduled, so that I feel like I'm on a treadmill just trying to keep up and manage God's blessings.
• Before long it's clear that I am Distracted. My schedule is so crammed and irregular that I find I'm interceding less and less. In every part of my life, things appear to be out of sync and winding down.
• One day I wake up and realize I'm Defeated. Whole days have gone by without a single meaningful conversation with God. Obstacles loom on every side and life begins to feel depressing. Minor problems feel more serious than they really are because I am spiritually drained. Sooner or later I repent, fall on my knees in desperation, cry out to God and feel his hand on my shoulder. My heavenly Father graciously ushers me back to the dynamic mode.

We can safely assume that most of us can't remain in the Dynamic Phase for fifty-two weeks a year. Life changes, situations beckon, emergencies arise. Sooner or later, most of us will find we've become distracted. And for many of us things will get worse. One day the alarm bells will ring and the Holy Spirit will alert us that we are distracted. That unpleasant season will probably come again for many of us.

But here's my question: Who really wants to be defeated? I certainly don't! That means the first time I notice one of the warning signs that my prayer life is heading south, I need to take it seriously. I will treat it like one of the warning signs for cancer. I should respond with the same urgency I would give to a fire alarm or a storm warning. I want to drop everything and take stock of my spiritual life. I must stop, drop and pray. (If ever there was a great time for kneeling, this would be it. I need to get my mind in the right attitude.)

How frequently church people confess, "I know my prayer life is not what it should be." That's even sadder than it sounds! If you're saying that just to be modest, you're encouraging less mature believers to be slackers, too. And if you really know your prayer life is insufficient and disrespectful to the Father, what are you doing about it? Don't wait until you're beaten.

Selah.

Learn more about Tim's new book, Treasure in the Sand,
at www.TreasureintheSand.org