Giving ourselves to prayer

With such rapid growth in the numbers of believers, hard feelings and dissension were on the rise in the early church. So the disciples put their heads together and realized that they needed to spend their time and effort teaching and preaching the Word of God and giving themselves to prayer instead of administering a food program or judging disputes. So they did what wise and responsible leaders do: they settled on their highest priority and then delegated remaining important tasks to others.

Missionary and minister Andrew Murray compared a great time, effort, and diligence it takes for a farmer to bring forth a good harvest with the need for us to put time, effort, and diligence into prayer. Rather than relegate it to a tiny segment in our Day-Timers, we need to cultivate an ongoing, wholehearted giving of ourselves to intercession if we are to obtain the blessings God has for us and in the lives of others. Is the highest priority in your life to be diligent in prayer?

LORD, grant me a continual readiness and devotion to prayer. Open my eyes and heart to understand the great privilege you have given me in allowing me free access into your throne room. Give me a heart that is hungry to spend time with you. And as I do, prepare my mind and heart for the work you have for me to do for you and your kingdom.

The seed we sow on the soil of heaven, the efforts we put forth, and the influence we seek to exert in the world above, heed our whole being; we must give ourselves to prayer. But let us hold fast the great confidence that in due season we shall reap if we faint not.