The Importance of Prayer

This is Day 2 of my 40 day Lenten blog.

How important is prayer? It's so important that, as Bishop Robert Barron points out, "in the Bible nothing of any moment ever happens apart from prayer."

Prayer is so important that even God prays. Yes, God the Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity, prays. Prayer is so important that the Apostle Paul tells us to do it constantly. It's so important that Jesus' disciples asked Him to show them how to do it the right way. It's so important that Jesus tells us there are things that absolutely cannot happen without it.

How powerful is prayer? Prayer has changed lives. Prayer has brought people back from the dead. Prayer has altered the course of history.

So why is it that we put so little importance on prayer? Why is it that we value action above prayer? Certainly action is important, but things can happen without any human action at all. Nothing happens apart from God. Everything that happens was either willed by God or allowed by God.

"I don't have time for prayer," we say. Why not? Because we're doing more important things? Nothing is more important than prayer, because it is through prayer that we connect with God. It is through prayer that we have a relationship with our Creator. It is through prayer and the faith that regular prayer provides that we can move mountains. Yes, we are all busy with work and school and families and chores. But without God, none of that will come to anything.

Today's prayer: Lord, help me to pray more fully. Help me to know You and have faith in You. Help me to move the mountains that You want me to move and to live the life of communion with You that you want me to live.

R.C. VanLandingham lives in Florida with his wife and kids. He is the author of several books including the Christian fantasy books Peter Puckett & The Amulet of Eternity, Peter Puckett & the Enchanted Chalice, and Magdalene Hope & the Elves of Evermore.