Busyness and Prayer

"Apart from me, you can do nothing."  John 15:5

We live in the busiest, most fast-paced society in the world. We go from school to work to lessons to practice to church to home, and every second in between we’re on our cell phones. Our “to do” lists are longer than ever before. Technology promises that we can “do” everything faster, but it just seems that our “to do” lists are getting longer and longer. Are we really doing/accomplishing more? I believe we are doing less, and I believe it is because the most important “to do” has fallen to the very bottom of the American Church’s “to do” list: prayer.

Prayer is about recognizing that everything you do does not take place apart from the will and sovereignty of God. The sight that you are reading this with and the mind with which you understand it are gifts from the very hand of God. “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” Prayer is also depending on God through every event and in everything you do, knowing that He is only pleased with a heart that is full of child-like faith and trust, and that real and lasting fruit can only be borne when we are abiding in the life and love of Christ. “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Prayer is also communion with God, talking to Him. To HIM. Get this…we GET to talk to GOD: the God of the BIBLE, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Almighty Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the Author of life and Truth, the all-wise and Righteous Judge, the One who the angels ceaselessly adore, the Great I AM, the never-changing, never-ending, never-failing God, and NOTHING is too difficult for HIM! If we needed more time, He’s the One who made the sun stand still, the One who spoke light into darkness, and the One who loves you and is intimately acquainted with all of your ways. He knows the number of hairs on your head and He knows when you sit and when you rise. And how He loves the sound of your voice. His ears hear the humble cry of His children and His heart fills with joy at the sound of their praises.

Too busy to pray just doesn’t make sense. Not only is it an incredible privilege and opportunity, but it is vital to maintaining your relationship with God and a proper perspective on every single thing you do. Martin Luther once said, “I have so much to do today I shall spend the first three hours in prayer”. Jesus was probably the "busiest" person to ever live, and yet He regularly took time out of his schedule to talk to His Father. “Apart from Me you can do NOTHING”.

Prayer for the week: "Father God, please help this revelation to sink deep into my spirit, so that I will never be so foolish to miss the most important and valuable time of any day: the time I get to spend in communion with You, O Lord. May I value this gift as the miraculous wonder that it truly is."

About Matt Papa - Now 23 years-old, 360 SPIN artist Matt Papa has been ministering since age 14 with organizations like Student Life, In Quest, Campus Crusade for Christ, Georgia Baptist Convention, Ohio Baptist Convention, David Nasser Outreach, Wayfarer Ministries, and SWAT Ministries. Though he is extremely passionate about music, his most dominating passion is for the Kingdom of God...to see people come to know and love Jesus Christ. Find out more at www.Mattpapa.com .