The Imperative of Prayer

As I was reading something Martin Luther had written about prayer I was reminded of my boxer named Doris. Barbara and I typically do not allow Doris in our dining room while we eat. The reason is not hard to figure out. You see, Doris becomes quite fixated (to borrow from Jung) on one thing....our food. To her, nothing else exists in the world when we are eating. Her little doggy mind is literally saturated with thoughts so focused they rapidly form intense affections that she is unable to be distracted from no matter what might be happening around her. There she remains, steadfast, immovable, so long as we allow her to sit before the table.

O if I could only pray the way my dog watches food. Alert. Hungry. Focused. Expectant. Waiting. Hoping with all my being that God would hear the cries of my heart and grant the petitions of my soul. As Christians, we are to be 'devoted to prayer' (Ro. 12:12). Thomas Brooks lends insight into the the word 'devoted':

'The Greek word is a metaphor taken from hunting dogs that never give over the game till they have their prey.' That's the idea. Remain steadfast, focused and alert in prayer. Don't grow weary or become perfunctory in prayer. Be fervent. Expect great things from God. Watch and see what He does.