The Hard Work of Prayer

Saturday, August 2, 2014

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.”

Colossians 4:12–14

We live in a culture that has seen a great decline in its appreciation for the value of work. The percentage of working age people with full time jobs is at one of the lowest points in our history. While some of the decline can be attributed to changing demographics and economic conditions, the reality is that many people are quite content to avoid work as long as someone else is willing to provide them with enough money to get by. At one time there was a greater appreciation for the need and value of hard work. Kemmons Wilson, who founded the Holiday Inn hotel chain once said that the secret of success was to work half days—and it didn’t matter which twelve hours you chose! That spirit is certainly not common in our day.

While we rightly decry this decline in character that plagues a society which avoids work, when it comes to the Christian life, there are a number of hard things we are commanded to do as well. One of those is prayer. Praying rightly, according to the pattern we see laid out in Scripture is hard work. The Greek word Paul used for Epaphras’ prayers translated “labouring fervently” in Colossians is the word agōnizomai. One does not need to be a Greek scholar to recognize the English word conveyed—agonize. This is not a casual prayer offered at meal time, bedtime, or at the beginning of a service or class. This is fervent, intense and serious praying—praying that costs us something.

Today's Growth Principle
When our hearts are stirred by needs, we find ourselves willing to struggle and agonize in prayer until the answer comes.

Old Testament Reading

Psalm 63-65

PSALM 63

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

¹ O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; ² To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

³ Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. ⁴ Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. ⁵ My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: ⁶ When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.

⁷ Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. ⁸ My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. ⁹ But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth. ¹⁰ They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes. ¹¹ But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

PSALM 64

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

¹ Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. ² Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: ³ Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: ⁴ That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. ⁵ They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? ⁶ They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

⁷ But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. ⁸ So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away. ⁹ And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. ¹⁰ The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

PSALM 65

To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song of David.

¹ Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed. ² O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. ³ Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. ⁴ Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. ⁵ By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

⁶ Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power: ⁷ Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people. ⁸ They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice. ⁹ Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. ¹⁰ Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. ¹¹ Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. ¹² They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. ¹³ The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.

New Testament Reading

Romans 6

CHAPTER 6

¹ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ² God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? ³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin. ⁸ Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: ⁹ Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. ¹⁰ For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. ¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. ¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. ¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ¹⁷ But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ²⁰ For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. ²¹ What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. ²² But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 3

¹ My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: ² For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. ³ Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: ⁴ So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. ⁶ In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. ⁷ Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. ⁸ It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. ⁹ Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: ¹⁰ So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. ¹¹ My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: ¹² For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. ¹³ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. ¹⁴ For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. ¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. ¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. ¹⁹ The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. ²⁰ By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. ²¹ My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: ²² So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. ²³ Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. ²⁴ When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. ²⁵ Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. ²⁶ For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. ²⁷ Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. ²⁸ Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee. ²⁹ Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee. ³⁰ Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no harm. ³¹ Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. ³² For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous. ³³ The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. ³⁴ Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly. ³⁵ The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.