Prayer is the Work

Years ago, I led a mission trip to Africa with some friends.  It was large group, and we had three things going every single day: Medical Clinics, time in the villages teaching children, and open crusades every night.  We left the hotel early and got back late.

Our leadership team made the decision to have a time of worship and prayer every morning before we left and then a time of sharing every night.  Some of the team thought we could better use our time in the mornings by simply eating breakfast and heading out.

I don’t think they saw prayer and worship as a waste of time…they just didn’t see it as the best use of their time.  I’m always amazed at Jesus’ pattern here on earth.  I want you to think about His life…He spent 30 years preparing, three years ministering, and much of that time was spent in prayer.  

Let’s be honest, many people would see suggest He could have used His time, spent His days, and carried out His ministry with a little more efficiency.  I mean, if you only had three years to minister on earth and “save” the world, would you start with 40 days in the wilderness?  Would you turn crowds away to spend time in prayer?   Would you take a crowd ready to make you King and send them away?

Jesus knew something we need to know…prayer is the work.  Time alone with God is never wasted.  There are times to preach and teach, there are times to minister and care, there are times to get out into the crowd, but if you go without time alone with God you will find that you have less power, less ability, and a tendency toward burnout.

Our culture hates stillness and quiet, but Hybels points out that Jesus developed “the discipline of stillness before God in spite of the roles and responsibilities He carried.”  By the way, so did Moses, so did David, so did the prophets, and so did apostles after Jesus ascended to Heaven.  The Bible is full of people getting alone with God before they went to the crowds.