Prayer: 2 Minutes?
by Gary Johnson
Two minutes.
That’s all it took for a few spoken words to impact people 160 years ago, and those words still impact people today. Abraham Lincoln was asked to dedicate the burial grounds at Gettysburg, where tens of thousands of soldiers were killed. At the ceremony, the Honorable Edward Everett spoke for two HOURS, and few (if any) remember his comments. Yet, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address continues to have immeasurable impact on people still to this day. Two minutes. Hold that thought.
Throughout 2024, it’s all eyes on Jesus, and to help us do so, we are stressing the importance of knowing and practicing the TWELVE spiritual disciplines (one each month). The disciplines move us into deeper relationship with Jesus, which enables us to experience all eyes on Jesus. Each month we feature a specific discipline, and this month is the discipline of prayer.
When it comes to this discipline, there are hundreds of verses in the Bible on prayer, thousands of books written on prayer, and hundreds of thousands of sermons have been preached on prayer. This enormous discipline can – and should – capture more than just our attention. It should capture our hearts, minds and souls.
When on a flight, it is easy to see landmarks while taking off or landing. We can identify city skylines or coastlines when above them. In a similar way, when we take an overview of Scripture, four things stand out to me when it comes to prayer.
P for PRACTICE
From the opening moments of measured time, we have been communicating with God. Genesis 4:26 says that “At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” What began early in the history of humankind has continued throughout the centuries until now, and it will perpetuate into the untold future. Moreover, Jesus observed the practice of prayer, as He got up before sunrise and went to a solitary place where He prayed (Mark 1:35). The first century church “devoted themselves to prayer” (Acts 2:42). In the Word, prayer is a spiritual discipline that is practiced.
R for RELATIONSHIP
Again, from the opening pages of Scripture, God established relationships with us. He walked in the cool of the garden with Adam and Eve (Gen 3:8), and He even spoke with them. From the patriarchs to prophets, from kings to commoners, God spoke with people. Why? He was – and still is – in a relationship with humankind. In Jeremiah 33:3, God said, “Call to me and I will answer you. I will show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” God invites people to speak with Him, and He promises to reply – and remarkably so.
A for ATTITUDE
Throughout Scripture, people prayed from the depth of their needs, admitting that they needed God. The Israelites cried for God to rescue them from slavery in Egypt and from attack by enemy nations throughout the book of Judges. King David cried out for help when Saul attempted to kill him. Daniel cried out from a pit of lions. Paul reminded believers, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, with prayer and petition, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6-7). Prayer is anchored in a humble, contrite attitude.
Y for YIELD
Years ago, a television commercial for a former investment firm stated, “When E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen.” When God spoke in Scripture, people chose to listen to God, or not. When they did so, they yielded to His authority. Again, there are so many instances of this happening from cover-to-cover in the Word. Jesus even concluded His Sermon on the Mount with this choice; those who listen and yield (i.e., obey) are wise, while those who do not are fools (Matt 7:24-27). We are told in James 4:8 that if we “draw near to God, He will draw near to us.” Prayer draws us near to God, but will we then do as the remainder of verse 8 states? “Wash your hands you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double minded.” Yield.
TWO MINUTES
Abraham Lincoln’s address lasted all of two minutes. His speech is considered to be one of the finest, most powerful in American history. Can we experience the same, particularly when we talk with God? Can our words carry weight in the presence of the Lord? Yes and yes.
By God’s grace, I’ve been on numerous international mission trips. Often, I’ve been in Muslim nations, and I have heard – time and again – calls to prayer being played from the top of Muslim minarets. These spires announce the call to prayer five times throughout the day. What if we paused to pray throughout the day – even if only for two minutes at a time? Consider praying before stepping out of bed as soon as we wake up (#1). Once we are up and about and ready for the day, we pause to be in the Word and in prayer before leaving for work, errands, school, etc. (#2). Sometime in the midst of our busy day, we pause to pray (#3), and then when we return home we pray yet again (#4). Finally, after getting into bed and before falling to sleep, we pray once again as our day draws to a close (#5). When we make prayer a vital, desired part of our walk with God, two minutes will become twenty – and more.
No matter when or how we pray, we must pursue the practice of prayer, for it deepens our relationship with Jesus, particularly when we model an attitude of humbly needing Him, and wish to yield to His lordship in our lives.
The late John R.W. Stott once admitted, “The one thing I know will give me the deepest joy – namely, to be alone and unhurried in the presence of God, aware of His presence, my heart to worship Him – is often the thing I least want to do.”
Two minutes?
