Prayer Priority

I was really struck recently as I was reading through an entry in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers. He wrote, "Prayer doesn't equip us for greater works - prayer is the greater work." It got me to thinking about my own personal priority of prayer. I totally agree with his statement in theory, but does it show up in my practice? I truly believe that prayer is the greater work, but is it the greater work in my life?

As a part of the training that I lead others through I stress the importance of prayer. Prayer saturation is the first step in the process of spiritual reproduction. I teach others that without prayer the whole process is stunted and won't progress to maturity or reproduction. Our last cycle of training was completed in May. After that training was completed we did an evaluation and I was convicted that not enough emphasis was placed on prayer, even though it had the place of priority on paper. Throughout this cycle of training I have been very vocal about prayer as a priority, but when I am really honest with myself I realize that talking about prayer a whole lot doesn't accomplish much.

There is a huge difference between talking about something and doing something. It dawned on me that if I was spending a great deal of time and effort in prayer, both privately and within the training that I lead, that I wouldn't need to talk about it being such a priority. Anyone paying any bit of attention would already know that because of my actions. Maybe I have been so vocal about it lately because I have spent such a meager amount of time and effort in actual prayer.

Maybe you have a similar area in your life, maybe even your prayer life. Maybe like me you have been placing an emphasis on prayer, or Bible study, or some particular ministry, but that priority can't be measured by actual practice. It is time for me to lead by example and allow prayer to truly be the greater work in my life. May you join me in this discipline and may we all see the blessings from it.
Shiloh