What is Prayer all about?

1-sentence version... Prayer is about spending time with God and talking to Him.

3-point version... Prayer is about waiting, longing, hastening...


WAITING
I'm waiting... cos God told us to...we got to give hear, understand why and do something about it... In Isa 40:31, we read how as one waits upon the Lord, they are renewed. Acts 2 recounted to us the active waiting by the disciples, gathering in one accord.

The waitings were anchored in a Hope...

Isa 40 expounds on the Hope of all mankind - our everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, who neither faints nor is weary, whose understanding is unsearchable, who gives power to the weak, who increases strength in those who have no might. Oh, who is like You, O Lord!

Acts 2 tells of the returning Hope, Jesus, the reason of their waiting. This Jesus, whom the disciples see taken up into the heavens and was told that in the same manner, He is coming back soon (Acts 1:11).

So they waited... they pressed in... some gave up... some continued to wait for who can dismiss the Hope that is anchored in their hearts? Though sometimes it does take a major effort in keeping with the waiting. It is not automatic. Desire if not followed through with effort, leaves us 'comfortable' and dull. O God, draw us in! Do not let us grow faint..


LONGING
I'm longing... cos I've experienced His love and know that He is coming back, for me, for us, for love. You know, it's one thing to love God, it's another to love God and be lovesick for God. The former is sweet, the latter is sweet yet totally uncomfortable. Uncomfortable cos if you are lovesick, you will do something to go deep, to pursue, even if it seems foolish in the eyes of man...
Heb 11:16 - "...but now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country..." The men of faith were longing for God and His kingdom. For they somehow know, be it from afar or from anear, that there is a better than...

A longing heart spurs a life lived by Faith...

What is a picture of a life lived by faith? ... subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong,became valiant inn battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens ... erm, you may not like this, had trial of mockings and scourgings, of chains and imprisonment, they were stoned... sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword.. wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted and tormented...

... of whom the world was not worthy...

I don't know what went through your mind as you read their experiences. Surreal perhaps?They probably understood what Jesus meant when He said in Matthew 5:10-12, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven..."


HASTENING
I'm hastening... cos I want to rise up in maturity in love and partnership with the Holy Spirit to do what God wants to do...

Hastening is probably the biggest paradigm shift I had regarding prayer. It blows my mind to know that God needs our prayers to do what He wants to do! I mean, God, in all his almighty and divine and limitless ability, created a 'dependance' within his nature - a dependance on men's prayer! In my own puny mind, I liken prayer of men to the scoreboard in an arcade game. Some hits, some misses, and somehow it totals up to 'enough' and wham, God moves. It all counts, for the misses were necessary in getting the hits alrighty.

Just keep praying, yes, and unceasingly! Rev 8:3-5 recounts for us the awesome heavenly activities when the heavenly incense + the prayer of the saints set into motion God's trumpet-judgment series. It is my favourite passage in the book of revelation - Rev 8:1-6 - especially the part where there was silence in heaven for about half an hour... silence cos something serious and intense is about to take place... selah... *gasp*... may I be found on God's side in that hour...

I'm reminded of a chorus line from the IHOP prayer room - And I miss You Jesus and I want You to come back... oh, may we engage our hearts in Love with our coming bridegroom God, who is lovesick for us...


So in the meantime, in this time of waiting, longing and hastening, God is preparing me. As I open my heart to Him, He is yanking out the things that stand in the way (OUCH!!!). In this time of waiting, He lets me know Him more - what is in His heart and what He is about to do... Sometimes I understand, but most times I don't... which means most times I am crying out for revelation, and at the same time reciting prayers from my head, and let God do the work of letting it sink into my whole being.

Oh God, how I long to know your heart and your mind more, so I can be mature in love and effective in what You want me to do... Even when I blew it, time and time again, You never gave up on me. How can I not love You O Lord... in love and lovesick for You... Be it unto me, that wherever I am, whatever I am doing, that the one pre-occupation of my heart and mind is on You and Your Kingdom!