Pastor Sam Crosby First Baptist Church, San Saba
Prayer is hard work. Prayer can be intense and toilsome. Prayer requires time and focus. Jesus prepared for the cross through prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Luke’s gospel records, “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44, NKJ). He bore the burden of sin through prayer.
The author of Hebrews describes the intensity of Christ’s prayers even further. He writes, “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God” (Hebrews 5:7, NLT). The burden on His heart coupled with His reverence for the Father led Him to pleadings, cries and tears. This is not your typical prayer meeting.
Mark’s gospel says that Jesus started early in the day with prayer. He writes, “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35, NKJ). Before the sun was up, the Son was up. Before the day began, the Lord was on His knees. Before He met with men, He met with His Father. His habits of prayer were inconvenient and uncomfortable. While men slept, the Son of God prayed.
Some argue that this was Jesus, and such intensity is not expected from us in prayer. However, James states concerning Elijah that he “…was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly…” (James 5:17, NKJ). Paul describes the prayer life of a friend, stating, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers,…” (Colossians 4:12, NKJ). James admonished the church: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (5:16,NKJ). Our prayers should be earnest, effective and fervent.
We are presently in a special season of prayer. There are two national prayer meetings being held in Washington this Saturday, both focused on asking God for His mercy and His touch on our nation. Many churches across our land are hosting special prayer gatherings in the days leading up to Saturday. Our forefathers birthed this nation in prayer. Believers have sustained this nation in prayer. Though we should pray daily for the United States, would you join this special time of focused and intense prayer? This is our nation. This is our generation. This is our responsibility. This is our privilege. This is our moment to labor in prayer once again for a fresh touch of God upon our land and in our hearts! Labor, I say, in prayer!