The enduring practice of the earliest Christians was gathering for prayer. It was essential to their meeting together. They didn’t just demonstrate praying together, they also taught it.
Consider a few passages that provide a foundation for churches to gather for prayer.
Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
2 Corinthians 1:11, “You help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.”
Ephesians 6:18, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray continually”
1 Timothy 2:8, “Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.”
These verses show us that gathering for prayer wasn’t just something the early church did. These verses show us their theological foundation for prayer. The teaching of the New Testament is that gathering for communal, church family prayer is vital. Yes, we are to be people who pray individually, but there is a greater vitality, I would argue, in church families gathering for prayer.
Why? Why is gathering for prayer so important?
Consider what James writes in James 5:13-16, “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
When we pray, together we demonstrate that we are dependent on the power of God, that we need him. When we pray, we show that we have a healthy self-awareness, that in and of ourselves, we are crying out to God to work precisely because we know we can’t accomplish the mission of his Kingdom without him.
I’m not saying that prayer twists God arms, somehow forcing him to do what we want. I’m not saying that if enough people pray, we’ll get what we want. I’m not saying that if not enough people pray, we won’t get what we want.
My son and daughter-in-law estimated that there are over 2,000 people praying for my granddaughter Lily, who was born with an underdeveloped heart. Is there some mystical magical number that will guarantee her healing? For example, does God say that if only 1,999 people pray for her, then she won’t be healed? But if we can get that two thousandth person, Lily will be healed? No, God never promised anything like that.
There are no magic formulas. What I am saying is that the New Testament clearly demonstrates and teaches that we Christians are to be people who are committed to praying together. So let’s consider how we can pray more.
Does your church have a prayer meeting you can attend? You don’t have to. But can you?
Can you add more prayer with others in your gatherings?
Photo by Jack Sharp on Unsplash
Engaging Scripture 