It's Our Challenge

In his book The Hour That Changes the World, Dick Eastman says that he had always believed God answers prayer, but his prayer life was inconsistent. During a devotional transformation, he was gripped with the realization that Jesus asked His disciples only one question specifically related to the subject of prayer: "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" (Matthew 26:40 KJV).

Suddenly he realized Jesus was speaking to him. "I, too, was a follower of Jesus. I was being challenged to make a daily sacrifice of at least one hour of my time specifically for prayer. It was my choice. No one would force me. I could either sleep or pray. I chose the latter--a decision I shall never regret."

"Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her," said Jesus in Luke 10:42. We, too, have to make a choice. The Lord protects our time with Him if we deliberately choose it as Mary did. He can cause the phone not to ring. He can cause us to awaken in the night so we can pray. Best of all, He can increase our desire so that it becomes our priority. 

One day I asked God for a specific request. The next morning the Spirit whispered, "There's a price to pay," and I knew He was referring to my request the day before. Would I choose to pay the price of time alone with Him, praying until I knew I had the answer?

Jesus, daily I make choices regarding prayer. May they consistently be ones that I will never regret.

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear me" (Psalm 55:17 KJV).