The Blevins (David and co.) gave me a couple of books for Christmas. One of them is The Parables of Jesus by Terry Johnson. This morning I was reading the beginning of his chapter on the persistent friend (Luke 11:5-13).
As preachers we spend time trying to get people to see how the passage before us should challenge them personally. The following words were a very personal challenge to me. In the last few weeks I've let my prayer life drift. Johnson writes:
Our prayers reveal how we relate to God, that is, the nature of our relationship to God. If I think God is great, I'll praise His greatness. If I think God is holy, I'll confess my sin. If I think God is gracious, I'll claim His pardon. If I think God is good, I'll thank Him. If, on the other hand, I think God is the great unknown, I may merely mumble a request or two now and again when panic or despair overcomes lethargy and unbelief. Prayer is how we interact with God. The content of our prayers defines the nature of our relationship with God, and the frequency of our prayers determines if there is a relationship with God at all. I can hardly claim to know God ... if I don't pray.
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