Devotion to Prayer
“Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:12-14).
The book of Acts is not some historical book that was written just to be interesting to some readers. Rather, the book of Acts is a record of the examples we ought to follow as Christians. For example, if you are a visual learner who may go to YouTube rather than an owner’s manual when fixing an issue, the book of Acts would likely be a great book for you to learn from. It is not just a book full of instructions, but examples. And if there is any example in the book of Acts that Christians need to compare themselves to everyday, it’s the example set here in verse 14. “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14).
Our prayer life is crucial to our relationship with God. Take for example the relationship with your earthly father. If at the appropriate age you leave your home for college, but never call, text, or send letters to your father, how strong will your relationship be? It’s likely that in this case, if you are having trouble than your father is not going to know in a manner in which he may be able to help. We understand that on earth, we cannot have a strong relationship with our fathers if we do not speak with our fathers. Yet, do we not act at times as if we can have a strong relationship with our heavenly Father without talking to our Father?
Instead of neglecting a prayer life with our Father in heaven, we ought to “pray without ceasing” as Paul instructed the church in Thessalonica. Afterall, it is through our talks with God that the worries of this world may be put aside. Paul advised the church in Philippi to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
In Matthew 7 Jesus said to His audience to “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). We are instructed to take all our cares and needs to our Father who is in heaven. Afterall, it is God who provides for all things “that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).
If there is ever a time in your life that you are hesitant to pray because you don’t understand how God could possibly solve your issue, then pray. Many people neglect prayer because they don’t understand how God could possibly help. Did Paul not say that the peace we get from God “surpasses all understanding?” Instead of doubting God’s power in prayer, I ought to be thankful that I have a God I can’t understand. If I were to understand God’s power, that would lower Him. If I were to understand God’s power, than He would be no more equipped than me to solve my problems. Fortunately, I can be thankful that I have a God I can’t understand because I know that no problem and no prayer is too big, or too difficult for my Father.
Let us, like the disciples in Acts chapter one, devote ourselves to prayer. Through this, we will grow stronger in our relationship with God and see Him work in ways we never expected.
