As I have been preparing my sermons for our current series on prayer, I’ve looked back and read some of the daily devotions of the book Right Here Right Now Jesus: Moving from a Prayer Life to a Life of Prayer that inspired this series. As I’ve picked up the book several times and re-read several of the entries, I’ve been struck by one phrase that keeps appearing. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the phrase is part of the title: “moving from a prayer life to a life of prayer.” But the more I reflect on that phrase and the more I say to myself that I want to move from a prayer life to a life of prayer, the clearer it becomes to me how hard that change actually is. As a pastor, I can talk about God and faith, the Bible and God’s acts of salvation, and Jesus and theology seemingly all the time and yet never really get down to the deepest part of all that I know and believer. I’m reminded of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 where he gives us these images of all these great things we could do as Christians; however, if love is not attached to them, they are worthless. I believe the same thing applies to prayer. We can talk a good game; we can quote Scripture till we’re blue in the face; we can say these long-winded prayers that sound so religious; we can think to ourselves that we are good Christians because he do this or that, because we believe this or that. But all of that is useless if it does not come our of a life of prayer.
So what’s the difference between a prayer life and a life of prayer? They pretty much sound like the same thing. Isn’t spending time in prayer in the morning or evening quiet time/devotions, saying short prayers throughout the day, etc. a life of prayer. In short, the answer is not really. There are two things I want to point out about a life of prayer. The first is that it is hard. A prayer life can be a vibrant part of your life in the mornings or evenings, or whenever you set apart time to do it; but that doesn’t make it a life of prayer. The reason is almost a matter of semantics. Saying “I have a prayer life” is equivalent to saying “prayer is just a part of my life”(although we may not mean it that way). The reality of our lives is that we all have so many things pulling at us, seeking our time and attention: kids, work, parents, friends, family, vacations, sports, activities, etc. To say “I have a prayer life” really means “prayer is just a part of my life.” It would be the same as saying “I have a family life.” When we talk in those terms, we are saying that our life is filled with a number of different parts, and we seek to divide our life into whatever parts we choose as important (think like how you would cut a pie). How is a life of prayer different? It’s different because it involves one word: surrender; that’s the second part about a life of prayer. A “prayer life” simply means that at certain times during your day or in your life, prayer becomes important. A “life of prayer” means that everything piece of the pie of your life is bathed in, inspired by, soaked in, and covered with prayer. Prayer can’t be something that we do; it must be something that we are. It must be the center of our disposition-the inherent quality of our mind. And everything that is a part of our life must come through our prayers: family, friends, work, school, etc. All of that must be surrendered to God as we seek His will and direction for us. Which do you desire: a prayer life or a life of prayer?
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