"The Symphony of Prayer" by Amelia Robbins.
    

While I knelt at prayer meeting tonight, I paused to let the sounds of prayer swirl around me. It is such a beautiful, precious sound. My mind flew back to so many other memories of that sound, from my childhood until now. My heart overflowed with gratefulness to my parents and grandparents who took me to Monday morning and Tuesday evening prayer services and taught me that prayer service was just as important as any other service. I know I didn't always sit still or pray as a child, but I learned the sound of prayer and how to pray by hearing the sound of prayer going forth.

 As I grew older and matured in the Lord, prayer wasn't something that was a struggle to learn how to do. It came naturally because I hadn't just been told it was something needed, but because I had been shown the importance and saturated in the sound of prayer. More often than not, when I kneel to pray, I hear in my mind the voice of my childhood pastor pray, "Jesus, I need you every minute, of every second, of every hour, of every day." Somewhere during every prayer time he prayed these words, and it is still a reminder to me that no matter how far we come in Him we still need Him.

As a child, we may not always appreciate coming to prayer service. But as an adult, we realize that sound of prayer breeds faith, trust, believing for the impossible, and an incredible comfort and familiarity of the presence of the Lord. There is nothing like the presence of the Lord and the sweet sounds of the prayers of His saints in conversation and communion with Him.

“May they remember who I am and what I stand for, and likewise my fathers Abraham and Isaac, who they were and what they stood for. And may they grow . . . .” (Genesis 48:16, CJB)

Parents, grandparents, church, we must bring the children, embracing their noise and distractions, so that the next generation will know the symphony of prayer.

Even as we teach the sounds of corporate prayer, we must also demonstrate prayer in our personal lives. Prayer doesn’t have to be an eloquent long hour or more of prayer, even though we need those too. But I find that seasons of life change and busy schedules often interfere with that long set aside times so that we feel guilty and unable, unsuccessful to meet that goal. Don’t. Let’s change our mindset and embrace the lifestyle of prayer.

“Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I Thessalonians 5:17-18)

Just as you would in any relationship, send those random, frequent text messages or calls to God. Let your ear be open to hearing and receiving from Him. Let your children hear you give thanks for a moment or cry for help. Let there be an ongoing conversation with the Lord and let them be a part of it.

Prayer can be a beautiful symphony of sounds or a single melody of beauty. They are an impactful and important priority for our own spiritual walk with God as well as the future of our children. Let’s not only train in doctrine but in the lifestyle of prayer.

Info from: Ladies Prayer International Newsletter - UPCI Ladies Ministries - ladiesprayerinternational-aol.com@shared1.ccsend.com