Praying Together

by Archibald, M. | Category: N/a | Apr 2009

Near the time of our Lord's birth into this world, multitudes would gather for prayer at the Temple when the priest offered incense on the golden altar.(1) The same connection seemed to be in the mind of the author of Psalm 141, as he wrote: 'May my prayer be set before you as incense'.

Another beautiful reminder of incense as accompanying prayer is in Revelation 8:3-4: 'Another angel...was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. Revelation 5:8 blends the two: ... golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.'

How might we ensure that we find our prayers as fragrant as the Psalmist wished, and appreciate their heavenly dimension as revealed to John?

In advance of the meeting

The first and most important preparation must be of the disciple's heart and mind. We won't pray much if we don't care much - not corrosive anxiety, but a concern for others, and thankfulness for God's goodness. We need faith. We need a concern for purity, for 'if I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened'.(2) The Lord said that we must first forgive others before we can receive blessing.(3) If we are directed to examine our conscience before participating in the Remembrance,(4) is it not as important that we do so before coming to the throne of grace?

Then comes using our judgement in choosing priorities. Before a meeting with a superior at work we naturally prepare our ideas, questions, perhaps requests; and the higher the authority we're approaching, the more care we take to use the opportunity well.

As David thought about his prayer-times he wrote, 'In the morning I will order my prayer to You'.(5) The prayer of Matthew 6 also displays order:

honouring God's name, or appreciating His greatness

seeking God's will, and the expression of His rule; the major needs of others

then our own concerns.

Of course a fixed order isn't required - sometimes a particular trouble will press to the front anyway; at other times it may be necessary to work out priorities before the Lord during the meeting. But considering others present should encourage us to choose what should head the prayer list.

On the way or on arrival

The Lord said it is not too late, when you are about to pray, to remove the personal drag of failing to forgive.(6) But better still to have met the person and dealt with the trouble before any other service!

At the meeting

Perhaps we've heard so often about 'the throne of grace' that we're missing the thrill of meeting the High Priest who serves there for His people. Our earthly view may be filled with the usual circle of faces in the place we come to every week. But as we in spirit approach the throne our thoughts are raised to an altogether higher level when we remember where we can reach with Him - 'a merciful and faithful high priest ... who has gone through the heavens', yet wonderfully able to 'sympathise with our weaknesses', who 'has suffered when he was tempted'.(7) And His faithfulness is reflected in 'the usual circle of faces', lifting our thoughts away to Him from anything that disappoints us in one another.

Then, how often do you become aware that an answer is being sent while you pray? It might come through a verse that someone quotes, or a hymn. Sometimes a fresh thought comes into our minds, that is so relevant to the subject of prayer that there is no doubt that God has spoken.

What about the times when we arrive at the prayer meeting tired or confused with upsetting events? Paul gave us a wonderful insight into such times, saying ... 'the Spirit himself helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express'.(8) And further on in that chapter, we find that Jesus is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.(9) What a place of power we failing saints can reach!

May the Lord bless us with renewed exercise so that the prayer times of the churches of God may be as effective as He planned them to be.

Bible quotations from NIV

(1) Luke 1:9-10 (2) Ps. 66:18 (3) Mat. 6:14-15 (4) 1 Cor. 11:28 (5) Ps.5:3 NASB (6) Mark 11:25 (7) Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14-16 (8) Rom. 8:26 (9) Rom. 8:34

Archibald, M. | Apr 2009
N/a