Where do you pray? Bill Gladden, one of my prayer partners in Austin designated a closet in every place he lived so that when he woke up, he could get up, stay up, and pray up. My first preaching professor, Dr. Scott Tatum served the Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana for 31 years. When he retired, they packed up the furniture. He went back one last time and found a worn place in the carpet. He wondered what that place might be? Why was the carpet worn in that spot? Remembering the configuration of the room, he realized that this was the place where he prayed for the people of God.
When Paul and his companions traveled to Macedonia, they stopped for several weeks in Philippi. Finding no synagogue, they searched for a place of prayer. In fact, they expected to find a place of prayer. Somebody in that city was surely praying. The disciples kept a divine appointment at the place of prayer just outside the city.
Like the church at Jerusalem, the church in Philippi was born in a prayer meeting. Lydia, a worshiper of God, and successful businesswoman opened her heart to the gospel. There by the river they were baptized. Lydia’s home became the first meeting place for the church at Philippi. How many times had those women gone to that river asking God to lead them. God answered their prayers that day. I walked down to that river one day and felt the presence of the Lord as we prayed beside that crystal clear stream.
Is prayer supplemental or integral to our walk with God? Keith Green wrote and sang a convicting song voicing God’s concern about our spiritual lives: “You love the world and you’re avoiding me.” Many of his lyrics seem timely to me today as we prepare for a summer revival over five weeks starting on August 4. We cannot experience spiritual renewal apart from concerted prayer. Find a place and pray there. God will show up, right on time.
