Prayer, Thought for Today

Father, I pray for those that ask, "What is a prayer life?" Prayer is the catalyst in growing toward spiritual maturity. Through prayer, the believer draws on the riches of God’s blessing and power. Yet God is not a spiritual Santa Claus. While He listens to the prayers of His children, He does not always answer us in the way that we might want. His highest purpose for prayer is to usher us into His presence. For this reason a rich prayer life should include all of these elements: worship, confession, adoration, praise, thanksgiving, intercession, and requests. A preoccupation with prayer merely as a means to get what we want is a sign more of carnality than spirituality. Spiritual maturity is evidenced by both an intimate prayer life and a humble submission to the sovereign will of God. Gary C. Newton, Growing Toward Spiritual Maturity, Biblical essentials series (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2004). 58-59.