We can live

without friends. In fact, most people don't have more

than two or three genuine friends. If we take

Shakespeare's counsel, we'll "grapple them to our

soul with hoops of steel."

We can live

without much money. Most of the world's people do it

every day. We can live without all kinds of

benefits-a 401K, beach front condo, etc. You get the

idea.

But there

are some very good reasons we can't live without prayer.

Want to know some?

First, lots

of people are carrying around a couple of suitcases full

of worries, anxieties, and cares. Those suitcases are

heavy weights. They pull us down, down, down. Prayer

allows us to get somebody else to carry that baggage. I

bet you know who that someone is. In fact, the Bible

encourages us to throw all our anxieties on God because

he cares for us. Most people don't care for us and

therefore are not willing to carry any of our load. God

cares and God carries.

Second,

prayer is an abject admission that the answer lies

somewhere beyond us, beyond human ability. Prayer

confesses, "I can't fix it." Prayer says,

"I don't have everything, but God does." As

Bishop T.D. Jakes said, "Prayer causes humility to

break out in your spirit." Prayer is different from

positive thinking. Prayer sings, "My faith looks up

to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary." If God can't do it,

it can't be done.

Third,

there's no better way to get divine direction than

through prayer. Jonah is a good example of a man who made

decisions without prayer. After he went off exactly

opposite than God's will for his life, God appointed a

big fish to get him back on tack. Now, if God's plan or

direction or guidance or counsel gets us into trouble,

then he also can get us out of it. The Bible says,

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not

to your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge

him (God) and he will direct your paths" (Proverbs

3:5,6).

Fourth,

prayer by its very nature strengthens our intimacy with

God. Pastor Abner Calleiro ministers to our Spanish

people who are integrated into the entire fellowship. I

also want to get next to Pastor Abner because he has a

personal intimacy with God that has been built by years

and years of fervent and bold prayer. You and I, however,

do not have to go through anyone to get to God. Don't

need a man, an operator, nobody. We can make a direct

call anytime, anywhere and we always get through.

Fifth, in a

marvelous way, prayer changes you and me as we pray. I

believe most of us would admit we need some changes and

even more, we want some changes. As we sit and talk with

someone who is full of love and joy and patience and

forgiveness, it just has to rub off. I sat down recently

and talked to Georgia's Former Governor, Carl Sanders.

His integrity, his emphasis on his family, and trust in

God were so refreshing that, I believe, it had an effect

on me.

Now think

about sitting down with the owner and sustainer and

redeemer of the whole enchilada. What do you think that

would do to you? Prayer changes our attitudes,

situations, philosophy, and more.

Sounds like

we all should be praying more!

The Rev. Dr. John

Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in

Fayetteville.

<!--##############