But Prayer

“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.” (Ac 12:5 AV)

A perfect response to a difficult situation.  Because Peter refused to obey the authorities and cease preaching Christ, they threw him in prison.  The church, rather than response in apathy or fear, gathered in one place and prayed until God answered.  They prayed and they prayed.  At midnight, God answered their prayer and Peter arrived safe and sound at the front door of the house church.  God orchestrated a jailbreak because the people of God responded to a crisis by praying to God for intervention.  Corporate prayer is a difficult thing to get off the ground.  Not many are motivated to get involved.  I have been in meetings in the past when prayer was an important part, if not the most important part, of what the church did.  There have been all-night prayer meetings.  Cottage prayer meetings.  Men and ladies' prayer meetings.  We have lost our stomach for prayer meetings because deep down inside, we do not believe in the power of prayer.  I love those two words, “but prayer”.  It is prayer that is the power of the church.  When the church gets back to prayer perhaps we will see God work in real and visible ways.

Over the years, I have been under pastors who made a priority of prayer.  I had one pastor who held cottage prayer meetings for every special meeting.  Church members would host a prayer meeting in their homes. Sometimes, there were more than one at a time.  He was the same preacher who had Twenty-four-hour prayer meetings.  My daughter-in-law’s pastor has an all-night prayer meeting for several days before their biggest meeting of the year.  Because he made a priority of prayer, Wednesday and Sunday nights did not suffer lower attendance than Sunday morning.  But the one I think who truly prayed was also a hunting partner from time to time.  His name was Paul.  Paul prayed about everything.  He prayed about little things as well as big things.  He wanted God’s guidance and blessing on everything.  I remember when I took him turkey hunting one spring.  He prayed when I picked him up.  He prayed when we parked.  He prayed before we went into the woods.  He prayed when we set up.  He prayed when we called it a morning.  He prayed when we unloaded into the car.  And, he prayed before we hit the road.  He was constantly in prayer.  His first reaction to any circumstance was to pray.  It was not his last.

The church who heard of Peter’s capture and possible torture immediately went to prayer.  One has to be encouraged by those two little words – but prayer.  Prayer is the antithesis of trouble.  You have trouble on one hand.  But prayer is on the other.  You have doubt and fear on one side.  But prayer is on the other.  You have a great need.  But prayer is greater.  We have dreams.  But prayer is what makes them real.  We have a hunger and thirst for righteousness.  But prayer is what gives life to the wish.  We want to know God more intimately.  But prayer is what brings us into the presence of the one whom we want to know.  But prayer.  Two little words that change everything!