There’s a prayer meeting at my church tonight. Instead of feeling energized by the thought of praying with others, an unexplained tiredness falls heavy on me. Maybe I should go home to rest. I won’t be missing much, will I?
Yes, I’m describing a personal struggle here. Perhaps you too have wondered: Why should I participate in corporate prayer? Can’t I just pray at home by myself? Isn’t prayer a personal thing?
Jesus showed us by example that there’s a place for both individual and group prayer. He often withdrew from the crowd to pray (Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35); He also took a small group of disciples with Him at times (Matthew 26:36-38; Luke 9:28).
An illustration shared by James Banks in The Lost Art of Praying Together explains it well. I paraphrase:
Once there was a king who had seven sons and daughters. One day the children had a good wish that would benefit the kingdom greatly. So they sent the eldest brother to make their request. But the father didn’t say yes. Instead he asked the son to bring his sister so she could make the request too. The matter repeated itself until, in time, all the sons and daughters were standing together before the king. They made their request together, and the king consented immediately. He said, “I love all of you dearly. Make no mistake about that. Each of you has a special place in my heart. But when I see all of you together, agreeing on what is good, my heart overflows with joy. Ask what you will, for all that I have is yours.”
Our Father desires His house to be known as “a house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7). He delights to see us praying for one another and with one another.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Psalm 139:1-24
More:
Read Matthew 6:9-13 and ponder the things Jesus taught the disciples to pray for. Notice that it’s an “us” prayer and not a “me” prayer.
Next:
What comes to mind when you think of prayer meetings? What other verses in the Bible can you think of that encourage corporate prayer?
pilong56 on May 17, 2015 at 4:26 am
pilong56: Why do we have to pray,meaning when someone who also tends to pass away,meaning we ourselves do have some ups and downs when someone who tends to
pass away. love,
Bobby Park the son of the late father Dr.Yung S. Park(pilong56)
Gary Shultz on May 17, 2015 at 7:30 am
The account of the king could certainly be part of the fact. I always find God does or asks us to do things not for just His benefit, but the needed benefits will fall to us. I think the strength and pleasure of seeing committed brothers and sisters in Christ is very up lifting.
Sandy on May 17, 2015 at 9:11 am
To me, prayer is the hardest thing to do, and I think it’s because it’s the most important and effective. I think the enemy knows that. Prayer is an ultimate tool against him and the highest effort to draw close to Jesus.
Ruth O'reilly-smith on May 17, 2015 at 10:30 am
This is such a beautiful illustration Poh Fang and explains the purpose of corporate prayer perfectly – thanks! Our church is corporately reading through the New Testament at the moment and our first corporate prayer meeting after we started was incredibly powerful, so much so that the pastor stated that he’d not experienced anything like it in more than twenty years of church ministry – and he’s been to many corporate prayer meetings. Corporate prayer meetings can sometimes get a little inward focused, but when we focus on the unchanging Word of God and have that as the filter for all our prayers through the power of the Holy Spirit, we become as one voice, reaching the throne room of God.
funmmy on May 23, 2015 at 8:22 am
I’m so happy to have read this passage. The passage brought more understanding into me through James Bank illustration. Thank you Lord, IJN