Page 14 - Contact Spring 2020.indd

Why Pray?
because Jesus did
and He asks us to...
Scripture tells us how Jesus often took
himself aside from the busyness and
cares of life, to spend time alone with
His heavenly father in prayer. He saw this
as a priority in His ministry and life and
therefore models for us the significance
of prayer. Through prayer, He enjoyed
intimate communion with God His Father
and was empowered and anointed for
Ministry.
Luke 11 verses 1-13 are key verses in
Jesus’ teaching on prayer to His disciples.
He is asked to teach them how to pray,
gives them the template of the Lord’s
Prayer, uses a parable to exhort them to
be bold and persistent in prayer and tells
them that the Lord will give good things
in response to their prayers. The answer
to the “Why pray?” question is given in
verses 9-10: “Ask and it will be given to
you, seek and you will find, knock and
the door will be opened unto you.”
Indeed, James 4 verse 3 says that “you
do not have because you do not ask
God”. Prayer should therefore be a
priority in the life of a Christian, where
we spend time in our Father’s presence
talking and listening to Him. Prayer is
essentially about building a relationship
with God and from this we, others and
circumstances are changed.
1 Corinthians 3 v 9 tells us that we are
God’s co-workers and Ephesians 3 verse
20 that God can do immeasurably more
than we could ask or think, according to
His power that is at work within us.
Here at High Kirk, there has been an
increasing desire for and commitment
to prayer over the past year. There have
been many answers to prayer and the
Holy Spirit has been moving amongst us
in increasing measure. This is no
coincidence.
God doesn’t ask only the super-spiritual
to pray; it is the need and responsibility
of every Christian. It should also be our
joy and privilege.
As well as praying individually, there
are many opportunities at High Kirk for
corporate prayer. Matthew 18 verse 20
encourages us that where two or three
are gathered in Jesus’ name, there He is
with them. The meetings are open to all,
whether you feel comfortable praying out
loud or not. The important thing is that
we bless God and each other by being
together.