National Day of Prayer

Prayer is not conquering God's reluctance, but taking hold of God's willingness.--Phillips Brooks

As people gather across the nation to observe this National Day of Prayer, I am convicted as I once again realize how lax I am in availing myself of this vital link to God.

I listened to part of a radio broadcast yesterday in which Becky Tirabassi related how many years ago, she determined to spend an hour a day in prayer. She simply makes a daily appointment with God, and keeps it. Tirabassi is the author of "Wild Things Happen When I Pray" and "Let Prayer Change Your Life."

This website has some great quotes on prayer. Here are just a few:

John Bunyan - "In prayer, it is better to have heart without words, than words without heart. Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin entice a man to cease from prayer. The spirit of prayer is more precious than treasures of gold and silver. Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan."

Jim Cymbala - "The devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we begin to lift up our hearts to God."

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones - "There are ideas in our hearts, there are wishes, there are aspirations, there are groanings, there are sighings that the world knows nothing about; but God knows them. So words are not always necessary. When we cannot express our feelings except in wordless groanings, God knows exactly what is happening."


F.B. Meyer - "Fall on your knees and grow there. There is no burden of the spirit but is lighter by kneeling under it. Prayer means not always talking to Him, but waiting before Him till the dust settles and the stream runs clear."

"The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer."