“LORD teach us to pray…” Luke 11:1

A devotional by Mari Madonna

For close to 30 years, I have been involved with the National Day of Prayer.  It’s one day I look forward to with great excitement. To know that Christians come together everywhere in our country to pray and let their voices unite before the LORD is amazing to me. We are blessed to be able to pray EVERYWHERE- on the phone, publicly, privately, in homes,  churches and walking at the parks.

President Harry Truman with a joint act of Congress proclaimed the first official National Day of Prayer on July 4, 1952, and in 1988 Ronald Reagan changed the official observance to the first Thursday of May. Each year since that date, Americans have observed NDP in their own way.

However, the history surrounding prayer dates back to the founding of our nation and beyond. In 1620, 101 settlers from England called Puritans boarded the Mayflower with a heart to govern themselves and settled in Plymouth, MA. These men had a desire for faith and freedom to form the foundations of America. These men believed in the power of prayer and the truth of the Scripture! These men believed that it should be the bedrock of this budding nation.  These men believed prayer should be taught in schools and the Scripture should be learned. The Continental Congress opened their sessions in prayer and Bible reading sometimes for hours at a time before the matters of the day were governed over. From the founding of our nation in 1776, when George Washington proclaimed a day of thanksgiving and prayer to the present day, PRAYER has mattered. It is the bedrock of our faith. I have often said after our salvation it is our greatest gift.

Prayers appears in the Old Testament again and again. The Psalms are filled with the cries of men before the Throne of God. Flip forward to the New Testament and we see prayer from Matthew through Revelation. And for 12 confused disciples, they went to Jesus and made a simple request,  “LORD teach us to pray.” (Luke 11)  The prayer Jesus taught them we know as the LORD’s Prayer. I wonder if the disciples had any idea how loaded with impact their request was and how it would echo down through the ages. For, if we’re honest, we too must admit that we don’t know how to pray.  What a great thing to pray for- Lord, teach us to pray!

Prayer is powerful. Prayer motivates us in fear, drives us in our distress and comforts us in our tears and sorrow. Prayer calms our raging storms and clenched fists. It can change lives, bring back the dead, and produces within us the faith of a mustard seed. It heals, exposes our hearts, brings us to our knees or raises our hands in praise. Prayer is heard in heaven and hell below.  satan cringes and recoils at the mention of the Great Name of Jesus. Prayer brings us to tears or lets us shout for joy.

Prayer has no guidelines.  We simply speak our heart, our hurts our desires, praise, thanks, joys, or sorrows to the ear that inclines to hear the prayers of His children (Psalm 40:1).  There is no time of day or assigned place to pray. Jesus prayed in a garden, on a mountain, from a boat, during a funeral, at a wedding, in a room to raise a dead girl, when it was dark, when it was light, and from a cross.

What I love about prayer is it is ETERNAL. Our prayers for our children, grandchildren, or the generations yet to be born will be heard for their eternal good. As you read through the Scripture see how many verses speak of the generations yet to come. I have prayed prayers for my granddaughters and my family yet to be born. Prayer is the eternal gift of a loving God.

I am so grateful to the LORD that in the timeline of humanity, He would give us this tremendous gift called prayer. Needed in every generation, from past, present and the generations yet to be born, the praises of men will raise in adoration, honor and glory to our Great God and King. Prayer will be eternal. The shouts of our praise and adoration will be heard in unending praise. We will bow in worship, raise our hands, sing, and honor the ONE seated on the Throne.

LORD, teach each of us to pray.