Jeffrey Dean Blog

“Work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow.” – Benjamin Franklin

I recently came across some interesting statistics concerning prayer. Check out what Americans believe:

- 89% believe God answers prayer
- 88% of women pray each week
- 75% of men pray each week
- 61% ask God for help
- 82% believe prayer changes things
- 37% pray at least once a day
- 52% pray 2+ times a day

These stats are really meaningless to me. Mainly because it really doesn’t matter what others are doing as much as it matters what I am doing. I’ll admit that I have to be incredibly disciplined and diligent to make prayer a priority in my own life. If not, life has a way of becoming insanely busy. And, before I know it, another day has passed and another opportunity missed to spend time alone with God.

You know every New Testament book in the Bible and a majority of those in the Old Testament talk about prayer. Psalm 6:9 says, “The Lord has heard my cry and accepts my prayer.” Wow! This is cooler than George Clooney’s recent return to the set of ER. Scripture assures us that God not only listens, but also accepts our prayer. This word “accepts” means to hold, cherish, nurture and to have intimate concern over.

Here’s a question for which you should have intimate concern over – Are you content with your prayer life?

If not, why not try giving prayer a greater place of priority in your life? The great thing about prayer is that it can happen anywhere, at anytime, and in any way. Instead of immediately turning on the TV in the morning, or checking your Facebook, or cranking a little Lady Gaga or Keith Urban, try praying while you are showering, getting dressed, or brushing your teeth. Why not use the ride in the car each day to pray? Mondays you can pray for your family. Tuesdays can be the day you pray for your friends. Wednesdays try sitting in silence on the ride to school and just listen as God speaks to you. Thursdays…you get the idea.

Prayer is an awesome privilege we have to speak with the Creator of the world. Never take this privilege lightly. God wants to hear from you. He wants your time and attention. He has so much He wants you to know about Him. He wants to spend time with you. Work to give Him more of your time. And, as you do, you will see…the payoff will be huge. Even more huge than Reese Witherspoon’s character in Monsters vs. Aliens.