Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Martin Lloyd-Jones
We’re Commanded to Pray
Jesus was speaking to His disciples about prayer and “told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1) and the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling” (1st Tim 2:8), so we should “pray without ceasing” (1st Thess 5:17). Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but we are commanded to pray…always!
We Need to Pray
Why shouldn’t we need to be praying every moment we can? Is there a time of day or hour when prayer is not necessary? Of course not! I cannot think of any moment in my life when I don’t need to be praying. Even in the few times when everything seems to be going well, I still need to pray praises and thanksgiving to Him, don’t I? It’s better to pray during the good times than to only pray in the bad.
We Depend on Prayer
Who in the Bible can you think of that didn’t depend on prayer? I mean the saints of the Old Testament and in the New Testament. There are several occasions when Paul asked for prayers from the church and he was surely a man devoted to prayer because he was teaching the very of oracles of God and that was such a huge responsibility. He didn’t want to get the gospel wrong, so that’s why he said, “I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling” (1st Cor 2:3). Our church does nothing until we pray about it.
Jesus, a Man of Prayer
No one had to tell Jesus anything that He already didn’t know, and that most certainly includes the importance of prayer. One day Jesus “he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12) and at other times, went out to pray while it was still dark (or early in the morning). There were many times in which Jesus “would withdraw to desolate places and pray” (Luke 5:16), so we know Jesus was a Man of prayer. He was such a Man of prayer that His disciples once asked Him how to pray (Luke 11:1).
Conclusion
Martin Lloyd-Jones had the right idea when he said to pray on every impulse. For one thing, that prompting might be from God for us to pray for someone who is in need and we don’t even know about it. That’s okay, God does, so pray always because we need to pray, and we should depend on prayer, just as Jesus was a Man of prayer.
