[329 words]
To pray or not to pray was not a question King David struggled with. David wrote in Psalm 55:17, “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice.”
Persistence was one of David’s goals when it came to prayer – is it one of ours? Do we even have a goal? When is the last time you prayed three times in one day? Was it last week when you attended all the services on Sunday? Was it on your way to see the doctor? Was it on your way to a job interview? Was it a day filled with turmoil, or a day of rest? Was it just “another” day? Which day was the last day that you talked with God at least three times, and why did you do it?
According to James 5:16, “…The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much.” Would you say that fervent covers three times a day? Could it be more? Could it be less? Does it matter?
Numbers aside, I would suppose that whether you are talking about “showers of blessings” or just “plain rain,” James is pointing out the truth about prayer – it works when it’s used passionately!
Now, does that mean just because we ask for something fervently (whether it’s for us or for someone else) that the Father will agree with it? Not necessarily; there might be a reason that we don’t see as to why our prayer is not answered with a yes…at least for the moment.
Don’t forget that Jesus taught His people to make their way through life by praying passionately and persistently, even when the answer seems like a definite no (Luke 11:1-13).
Praying three times a day can keep a lot of things away from us or it can bring a lot to us. So keep in touch with God, and don’t be surprised when His blessings touch you.
Eugene Adkins
Keltonburg church of Christ
Smithville, TN