A few years ago when my 88-year-old mother, had a stroke, I called 911 for an ambulance so that she can be taken immediately to the hospital for an emergency. I then called family members and requested their prayers. The relatives who are close by came right away to be with me and my family. We prayed as we waited for more medical diagnosis. Church friends also came and visited my mom. It was inspiring to witness them praying over my mom as they probably saw my worried look.
One thing I noticed in this experience. When troubles come, we pray. Now, I know this to be very good. It was comforting and encouraging.
The experience did make me think. Is prayer our last resort? Shouldn’t prayer be our first line of defense? Often it is when the doctor says, “There is nothing we can do”, that is when we usually pray. Prayer is not just our line of defense. It is our strongest offense against principalities and powers that try to pull us down.
The scriptures tell us that prayer is a conversation with God. It is speaking to God with the assurance that God hears and cares. Prayer is a way of life. It is something that Christians do daily and regularly. Shouldn’t we pray before we do anything at all?
Prayer should not be the last resort. In His Word, God encourages us to engage Him in prayer (Philippians 4:6). Would it not be better if we pray for each other even when we are not sick? Would it not be better we pray and thank God for each other now and not just when we are in serious trouble?
When we look at Jesus, we see a person so dedicated to prayer. Jesus is connected with the Father every hour, minute and second. His prayers and solitude preceded all his miracle events.
We don’t pray because it is the last resort. Prayer is our way of life from beginning till end. It is not our last resort because God is not our last resort. Since God is first in our lives, let us make prayer our first resort.