The Absoluteness of Prayer in the Minister's Life

 The Absoluteness of Prayer in the Minister's Life

 

Dedicated to my dear brother and fellow-minister Bob Smart

 

The reason I use the language "absoluteness" of prayer in the minister's life, is because prayer is not merely to be considered a "requirement," or a "need"; and it would not be fitting to even enjoin something like, "The importance of prayer in the minister's life."

 

Every truly-called minister of the gospel, serving in Christ's faithful church, is a praying man.  There are no exceptions to this rule.  Any man who does not have an earnest and heartfelt desire to be in the presence of God is not an undershepherd of Christ and His church.  Prayer, for the true saints, is not something that has to be "wrenched" out of us.  It is not simply a duty, a responsibility, and/or something expected of us.  Every regenerated Christian churchman sincerely desires to pray, to be in communion with his or her Heavenly Father.

 

None of this is meant to imply that there are rigid, legalistic "rules" for prayer; or when or how often it is to be done, etc.  (It also does not mean that prayer is always "easy," or "facile" for us.)  But, for the lovers of God, these issues are of no serious concern.  All new creatures in Jesus long to be in fellowship with their beloved Triune God.

 

If all this is true of the real saints in the church, how much more so is it of those who are endowed with the offices of Christ's church?  It is virtually impossible to "shepherd" God's people, and not to pray for them.  Prayer is one of the great "ordinary means of grace"; and how can we encourage others to practice it, if we are not doing it ourselves?

 

In truth, I have no real apprehension, when I write a paper like this.  I am fully-aware that there are called (or true) ministers, and there are fake (or false) ones.  Just as Jesus called His own disciples, (Mk. 3), and one of them was a traitor--so God has His authentic ministers today--even while Satan has his (2 Cor. 11:15).  When I say (as above), that I have "no apprehension," what I mean is this: I already know that Christ's validated pastors are men of prayer.  They do not need to be "cajoled" into a life of prayer.

 

What is the Christian life anyway, if Jesus Christ is not at the very forefront of it?  We view everything in life through the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ.  In the joy of this experience, we stay in covenantal contact with our beloved Father, through prayer--which is "brokered" through Christ, and anointed by the Spirit.

 

But since I am addressing (particularly) the church's pastors in this little paper, let me leave you with these two thoughts. . . . One, the "pastor" who does not pray, is not a pastor.  And two, the minister who prays, is simply doing what God has called him to do.


Rev. Mark J. Henninger

Treatise #4

31 January 2025

https://theologicaltreatisesinretirement.blogspot.com

https://henningerdevotions.blogspot.com/

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