Prayer
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
“Life is a rollercoaster” as the song says and life has its battles, as well as good times! We know that whilst being a Christian means that we have Jesus at our side to help us, guide us and strengthen us for these battles, they still happen! The one thing, above all else, which will help us in our daily walk, is to keep talking to God, sharing the moment, the frustrations, the encouragements, each and every second, with him. Communication is at the heart of every relationship and essential for it to thrive – as Christians, we call it “prayer.”
Just as in every conversation, there are so many different ways to communicate, both verbal and non-verbal, formal and informal, rushed and relaxed … prayer is the same. If it only takes one form, it can be a little bit lifeless and unexciting.
Paul tried to describe something of the battle in Ephesians 6, encouraging the disciples of Jesus, the soldiers in the battle, to don Spiritual Armour. But he concludes by saying “pray constantly” – in other words, emphasising the importance of the soldier to constantly keep in touch with their commander. So Prayer is not important – it is way more than that! It is vital and an essential part of being a Christian.
At St Peter’s, our aim is to provide encouragement for everyone to pray. Whether it is in the formal prayers at a Sunday Service, the daily prayers at Wellspring, prayer times in Home Groups, the a Prayer Chain for emergency requests, and general requests for prayer, our desire is to encourage everyone to “pray constantly,” sharing each moment of life with Jesus, both the exhilarating ups as well as the more challenging times.
If you want to know more, email us prayer@stpy.org!