Choose to be a Prayer Giant
by Mike Killebrew
Nearly twenty years ago I had the opportunity to go see the Giant Sequoia trees in California at Sequoia National Park. I vividly remember walking below these giant trees, standing in awe of how incredibly imposing they were as they towered above me. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see them in person, they are awe-inspiring and physically HUGE! Many of them grow to exceed 300 feet tall with a 35-foot diameter trunk. They live up to 3,000 years and they are rare—only growing along a narrow, 260-mile strip on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. They are so rare because they need a precise environment to grow. The soil condition, weather, altitude, moisture, amount of sunlight, and heat all play into their ability to thrive. Unless Giant Sequoias are planted in those specific conditions, they will never grow to be giants, to be the strong trees that entice thousands of guests each year to walk beneath.
When reading Psalm 1, one of my favorites, I think of the Giant Sequoia trees. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law, he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers (Psalm 1:1-3).”
A tree doesn’t really have a choice where it is planted; it’s by chance that the seed lands in just the right spot, with the right conditions being naturally present for growth to occur. It takes root by chance. The tree doesn’t decide; it doesn’t have input and there isn’t anything it can do to determine its future.
We, however, have a choice where we are going to plant ourselves. We have a choice.
I need to choose more frequently to pray. There are far too many times I realize at the end of the day while reflecting on the many moments of the day, that I did not choose to pray, realizing I did not choose to move to God through prayer. Perhaps I missed out on His indescribable power simply because I didn’t choose to ask for it. I didn’t move in His direction to experience His power for that moment, for that conversation, or that lost opportunity.
This month as we continue to explore the idea of having stronger prayer, I’d argue that it’s important to be reminded that we have a choice. We can choose to have a stronger prayer life. “Giants” in faith plant themselves in prayer. We all have the option to choose the details of our prayer life. We need to remember that it’s not an external chance factor, it is an internal choice, a decision.
One such giant in the faith that we all look to as an example is the Apostle Paul. Paul planted churches, he saw countless saved with the presentation of the Gospel message, he wrote two-thirds of the New Testament, and he was persecuted for delivering the Gospel message. Paul was like a tree planted by streams of water. Paul was clearly a man who chose prayer. When we read his words, there is evidence that he lived in a prayer-rich internal environment. He’s a great example for us to follow as we choose to grow stronger in prayer.
Throughout his letters to the various churches, Paul consistently emphasized the importance of prayer and encouraged us to pray without ceasing. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote about how he constantly prayed for the church, asking that they would be strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit and filled with the knowledge of God's will. He also prayed that they would have spiritual wisdom and understanding, and that they would live lives that were worthy of their calling as believers in Jesus Christ.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul spoke about the power of intercession. He wrote about how he constantly interceded for his fellow believers, asking that they would be saved would have the strength to persevere in their faith.
In his letters to the Philippians and Colossians, Paul emphasized the importance of being thankful in all circumstances and urged his readers to pray with a spirit of thanksgiving. He encouraged them to pray for one another and to present their requests to God with a thankful heart.
The prayer life of Paul was a central part of his life and ministry. He emphasized the importance of prayer, both for himself and for others, and encouraged his readers to pray without ceasing. Through his example, we can see the power of prayer and the impact it can have on those around us. Paul chose to pray.
Perhaps, like me, you need to make some choices, choices that will plant you in a place to grow, like that of a tree planted by streams of water.
I’m choosing to pray more in the moment.
I’m choosing to keep a prayer journal.
I’m choosing to intercede for fellow believers.
I’m choosing to pray with a spirit of thanksgiving.
I’m choosing to ask God for increasing opportunities to further my ministry.
One of the other fascinating facts about the Giant Sequoia trees is that they don’t have deep roots, surprisingly they are only about six to twelve feet deep, while a single root may travel laterally as much as 300 feet. They don’t have a tap root. It is truly amazing how the shallow and relatively small root systems can support such massive trees, withstanding winds and storms for centuries. They thrive and grow strong because their root systems are intertwined with one another, literally holding each other up. The trees grow close to each other and depend on one another as they grow stronger.
Let’s do the same: choose stronger prayer, together.
