STRONG CRYING AND TEARS
“Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;”– Heb. 5:7
I often say “Prayer is important because everything depends on prayer”. I believe that’s true. Yet prayer isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Prayer takes great
effort. The late Adrian Rogers confessed that prayer was the hardest thing for him to do. He said:
“I read in the book of Hebrews how my Savior prayed with “strong cryings and tears.” How that rebukes me. When is the last time you shed a tear over some soul that was mortgaged to the devil? When is the last time that you, like Jacob, said, “Oh God, I will not let You go, except You bless me” (Genesis 32:26)? When is the last time you labored with God in prayer as the Bible says? Prayer is hard work! For the energy it takes, I’d rather preach than pray. I’d rather study than pray. It takes work to pray. And here’s a man—our Savior— Who was praying passionately. He cast himself upon the ground. We need that kind of passion in our prayers. The effect of my preaching is not measured by how my sermons are outlined or illustrated, but by the power of Almighty God upon my life because I’ve been alone with God in prayer. Jesus knew what it was to get alone with God in prayer. Do you know what it is?”
I wonder how many would be so honest as to confess that the same is true in their lives. We can’t expect things to get better until we acknowledge our problem. Many folks pretend that they pray as they should when deep down in their heart they know it isn’t true. If we hope things will change for the better–that we will see great things from God, we first have to admit what miserable failures we have been when it come to prayer. So how is it with you? If we’re honest I suspect we all admit that there is much room for improvement. Prayer might be hard, but it is of such great importance that we dare not neglect it!–HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
