Talking to God

The founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland was John Knox (1514-1572). He died on November 24, 1572. Historians tell us that as he lay on his death bed he asked his wife, thirty-two years his junior, to read the prayer in John 17. In that chapter, Jesus is about to be arrested, so Jesus prays for himself, his disciples, and all believers. As Knox heard Jesus’s prayer, he seemed to forget his own weakness. Suddenly he began to pray. He prayed for his fellowmen. He prayed for the ungodly who had thus far rejected the gospel. He prayed for recent converts. He prayed for protection for the Lord’s servants, many of whom were facing persecution. He prayed a word of thanksgiving. As Knox prayed, his spirit went home to be with the Lord. The man of whom Queen Mary of Scotland (1542-1587) had said, “I fear his prayers more than I do the armies of my enemies,” ministered through prayer until the moment of his death.  

What is it about prayer that makes it so powerful? One of the great privileges I had in the ministry was praying with people. I have prayed with people at some incredible times. Both the best and worst in life seem to lead us to prayer. I prayed with young couples who had just welcomed a child into the world. I prayed with young couples who experienced one of life’s greatest disappointments. I prayed with couples who had just decided to unite in marriage. I prayed with people who had decided to end their marriage. I prayed with families who were waiting for a loved one to pass. I prayed with people during a long surgery. I prayed before church dinners and meetings. I prayed for sick family pets and the blessing of a new home. I prayed early on Easter morning and late on Christmas Eve. I prayed for those who are incarcerated and those who were miles away serving our country. I prayed for strangers and for the people I love the most. I have asked people to pray for me when I was sick and recovering from surgery. What is it about prayer that makes it so powerful? Martin Luther (1483-1546) said, “If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.” That leads us to our scripture reading, Mark 1:35-39.

According to the text, it is Sunday and Jesus is praying. Jesus is physically, emotionally, and spiritually spent. Saturday had been a long day. We will never know how long he taught in the synagogue. We will never know how many people were healed. We will never know how many demons he exorcised. What we do know is that Jesus was tired, but the population of Capernaum was energized about Jesus. Verse thirty-five says Jesus got up early the next day to pray. We do not know the content of his prayer, but it must have been something special. He decides to leave his popularity in Capernaum and teach in other synagogues throughout Galilee. 

However, there is more to this story than discovering Jesus’ itinerary. It models for us the importance of prayer. If you are a prayer warrior, then you understand the next line. Prayer changes the one who prays. You may think you are changing the outcome, but you are really changing yourself. When you pray, you change your heart. Consider these three things with me.

First, prayer changes your agenda. Look at the text with me. Verse thirty-five says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”  In other words, Jesus had a plan. He didn’t wait until an opportunity presented itself. Jesus was very intentional about prayer. He got up early and went to a private place to pray. Are you intentional in your prayer life, or does prayer just happen when an opportunity presents itself? Why is this point so important? It is my experience that people find time for things that are important to them. There is never time for things that are not important. 

Years ago, when I was a seminary student, Christmas fell on a Sunday. I remember that year clearly because it was the first Christmas morning I wouldn’t be home. I served a small membership church near Danville, Kentucky and duty called. I preached both on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. I planned to leave for home after Sunday morning worship. My parishioners worried about me driving home. They lived in Garrard County and rarely left their little corner of the world. They saw northeastern Ohio as another planet. They asked for a short service on Christmas morning so I could get on the road, because they didn’t want me to get home too late. It was about 400 miles. One of the men surprised me by filling up my car with gas during the service, and I drove from Danville, Kentucky to Akron, Ohio.

When I got to Akron, I needed a break and some gas. The only gas station that was open was manned by a hairy young fellow with worn-out jeans. He was wearing a shirt that looked like something stolen from Goodwill, and a large multicolored wrinkled hoodie. I walked in and said, “It stinks to work on Christmas Day!”  He smiled and said, “I don’t care. I am off on New Year’s Eve! I am having a party! I couldn’t care less about Christmas, but I wouldn’t miss the party.”  He asked me, “What are you doing on New Year’s Eve?”  I said, “I don’t know.”  I hadn’t even thought about New Year’s Eve. It is all a matter of priority. Honestly, I am normally depressed on New Year’s Eve because Christmas is over.

Have you ever noticed people make time for what is important to them? How much time do you spend at work? How much time do you spend golfing? How much time do you spend watching television? How much time do you spend watching football? How much time do you spend playing with the children in your life? How much time do you spend in prayer? Those questions expose your priorities in your life. We make time for the things that are important to us. Prayer changes your agenda.

Second, prayer changes your heart. Prayer makes you more sensitive to human need.  Jesus got up early to pray. Then the disciples came and told him everyone was looking for him. He was the talk of the town! But Jesus wasn’t interested in popularity. He was more concerned about others. Prayer led Jesus to the physical and spiritual needs of his world. Verses thirty-eight and thirty-nine say, “Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.”  That piece of scripture tells us prayer calls us to action.Never forget, faith is a verb. The great reformer Martin Luther also said, “Pray as if everything depends on God, then work as if everything depends on you.”  Where are your prayers leading you? 

Years ago, the Salvation Army was holding their international convention and their founder, Gen. William Booth (1829-1912), could not attend because of physical weakness. He cabled the convention his message. His one-word message was: “OTHERS.” That is the one message that God has sent to our world from the very beginning. The problem is, we aren’t listening. We are so consumed with ourselves that we have missed it. Prayer is not about our needs and wants. Life is not about our needs and our wants. Life and prayer are about OTHERS! God is sending you to the intersection in your life where your personal interest meets human need. Prayer will change your agenda. Prayer will change your heart.

Third, prayer will change your relationship with God. Prayer cultivates a friendship with God. Real friendships take time to grow. Have you ever noticed how much time Jesus spent praying? He is cultivating a relationship with God, an intimacy with God. Let me give you a short, incomplete list of all the times in scripture that Jesus prayed. 

1. Mark 1:35   Jesus prayed in the morning 

2. Mark 6:46   Jesus prayed in the evening 

3. Luke 5:16   Jesus heals the leper and retreats for prayer 

4. Luke 6:12    Jesus prays all night and then calls the twelve 

5. Luke 9:18    Jesus is praying with the disciples 

6. Luke 22:41  Jesus is praying in the garden of Gethsemane 

Do I have to go on? Jesus was always praying because it was a priority to him.  Prayer was a priority to him because he was trying to stay connected to God. When you pray, you are cultivating a friendship with God. 

I am always humbled when I say this, but when we pray, we are talking to the God of the universe. Maybe the reasons you don’t feel an intimacy with God is because you haven’t spent enough time cultivating your friendship with God? Prayer is not just informing God of your needs and your wants. Prayer is taking the time to develop a relationship with God. German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955) once said, “Physics is easy, relationships are complex”.  Take time to cultivate the most important relationship you will ever have, your relationship with God. Prayer will change your agenda. Prayer will change your heart. Prayer will change your relationship with God.

Bill Moyers (born 1934) was a special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973). He was asked to say grace before a meal in the family quarters of the White House. As Moyers began praying softly, the President interrupted him with “Speak up, Bill! Speak up!” The former Baptist minister from east Texas stopped in mid-sentence and without looking up replied steadily, “I wasn’t talking to you, Mr. President. I was talking to God.” When was the last time you talked to God?