When do we pray? Some of my friends do their devotionals in the morning. Some in the evening. Let’s settle this. Did Jesus pray in the morning or the evening? Yes. He did.
Peter and John went up to the Temple at the hour of prayer. There were designated times of prayer at the Temple. As the people of God devoted themselves to prayer (2:42), the apostles also continued the great tradition of prayer at the Temple. We will see that the hour of prayer offered an opportunity for ministry.
Of course, there is no bad time of day to pray. If we don’t set aside time, though, we will find ourselves like the honest preachers in a recent survey. The results showed that the average pastor only prays about five minutes a day. Pray for me that I will not be an average pastor. Paul told the Thessalonians to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). True, we may live our whole lives attentively to God. We are always in dialogue with God.
Still, it is well for our souls to have designated times and seasons of prayer. In my own calculus, I believe the revival at Tallowood started with the first day of prayer in January of 2023. Our day of prayer last week offers hope of a deep renewal in 2024. Most of the revivals in history started with a prayer meeting. At Asbury, the revival erupted in a prayer meeting with students. It could happen again. This makes me want to pray.
At my first little country church, we used to sing, “Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer that calls me from a world of care and bids me at my Father’s throne, make all my wants and wishes known. And since he bids me seek his face, believe his word, and trust his grace, I’ll cast on him my every care, and wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer.”
I write at 2:38 p.m. on a Sunday. Now is a good time to pray. Do we have time? God does. It promises to be sweet. Seek his face. Believe his word. Trust his grace. Cast on him our every care.
