This past week on Tuesday November 4, we had our 5th Mayors Prayer Breakfast in Brampton. This is a very early morning event that unless you believe in prayer, you ask yourself why have it. It is an opportunity for the the leaders in the faith community to come together and invite service leaders in our community to pray for them and to let them know they are being prayed for.
I have been going for the last 3 events but was saddened that this year our Mayor was not there. She has been the mayor for some X years and has supported the event because she believes in prayer and she believes in the importance of the faith community. Regardless of your feelings about Susan Fennell she is the one that God allowed to lead our city and she did her job. I felt different about the event this year. I’ll tell you why.
I love to pray and know that there is an intensity on my heart to pray more and deeper over the last little while. In order to keep balance and stay alert to the things that are happening more randomly (seemingly) we need to pray. A very dear friend and mentor has written a book called “Pray Simply, Simply Pray,” which is a call for us to pray without excuse. Many have made the statement, “I don’t know how to pray” and so they don’t. In failing to pray we fail to obey one of the commands of Christ. Jesus said, if you love me keep my commandments. The word of God says that we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) again in Timothy, the Apostle Paul reinforced to the young pastor that it is important to bring the names of leaders and those in authority before The Lord in prayer because they watch for our souls and the peace of the land.
Every day we hear the news which focuses more and more on the leaders of the land and the decisions they are making which have great effect on the peace of the land. We need to talk to God who holds the hearts of all mankind in His hands. He directs them on the decisions they make. That includes our schools, churches, hospitals, courtrooms, police etc. No more excuses, its time to pray.
Prayer is talking to God. We do not have all the answers. He does. So talk to Him. When I needed help with a question in school, I would ask the teacher for help. God is waiting patiently to be asked for help. Pray simply. Simply pray. We can touch our community, but we can do it more effectively with prayer. Paul Henderson, a former NHL hockey great, who is more known for his scoring the winning goal at the 1972 xxxxx game, was the guest speaker at the breakfast. He told us that his purpose statement was to be a “Godly man of virtue.” It was more important for him to leave this earth knowing he had touched as many people with the gospel that God loves them, they can have an intimate relationship with Him and that He wants to spend eternity with them. Paul has spoken openly about the power of prayer and confesses he would not be here without it. He graciously thanked us for taking his name to our Heavenly Father in prayer.
Wake up!
For those who are not sleeping under a rock, you will see that the world is not the same way it was 10, 20 years ago. Indeed it has changed. Wake up from your slumber, turn off your smartphone, turn off your computer, close the door and PRAY. While I have several roles in my home and community there is no other task that must be foundational to everything I do besides prayer. Please know that prayer is not a magic wand we wave to take all our problems and pain away. No, it is about communicating and engaging with God privately. It is time where we seek to listen and be heard in an intimate way. Larnelle Harris sings a song that states, “I miss my time with you, those moments together/I need to be with you each day/and it hurts me when you say, I’m too busy, Busy trying to serve you/But how can you serve me when your spirit’s empty.”
If I am too busy to pray, I am too busy. Are you too busy?
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