Day 13: Engaging Prayer

Presence - by Byron Fisk

“True security for sheep is not found in the absence of danger, but in the presence of the shepherd” (Lon Solomon).

The same is true for God’s people. Our security is assured by the presence of Jesus, not the presents he gives us as an answer to our prayer. When we are going through difficult times, and our prayers for relief seem to go unanswered, we can be tempted to give up on prayer. We might think, “What is the point, God knows what I need and I don’t want to keep pestering Him, He isn’t giving me what I want anyway.”

The point of prayer is not to just get what we think we need from God, but to stay in his presence. We need to pray constantly so that we remain in his presence, even if it seems he is not answering our prayers. The key to getting through our valley of the shadow of death is not that God rescues us out of it, but that we are walking through it with Him. He is always with us, but are we always with Him? Constant, persistent prayer keeps us in God’s presence.

“’Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”  Hebrews 13:5 NIV

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess. 5:16-18 NIV