Be Devoted: Living A Life That Can GrowSample

Devoted to Prayer 

Dedication to prayer is spoken about more than a few times in the Bible. Colossians 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Romans 12:12 tells us to “be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer,” and First Thessalonians 5:17 states, “Pray continually . . . for this is God’s will for you.” 

Why is continuous prayer so important? 

It keeps us focused on God and His ways. But there is more. I like to think of prayer as an activity that goes deep and as well as wide. Let me explain. When we pray we gain a greater depth of knowledge about God and ourselves. We ask. He reveals. His answers are sometimes beyond our understanding but bring good all the same. We grow. We ask. He reveals . . . As we repeat the process, we learn more about the heart of God, and it changes us. 

That’s where the wide part of prayer comes in. 

Our changed selves can reach out to the world around us. Through prayer, we invest in our community. We bring people who are unable or unwilling to the feet of Jesus to be changed like we were. We ask for provision, cry out for mercy, and give thanks and praise. We love the world by engaging God on their behalf. And again, we grow. We repeat the process, and the world changes because they learn more about the heart of God through our actions. 

Don’t know how to pray? The acronym A.C.T.S. can help you. Start with Adoration: Praising God for who He is. Confession: Tell Him where you’ve gone wrong. Thanksgiving: Be thankful and tell Him so. Supplication: A fancy word for telling God what you need. Don’t be afraid. God is never surprised and knows you better than you know yourself. Jump in and give it a try. Can’t do all four. Start with Adoration and see how it goes.