Take it to the Lord in Prayer

As we’ve read through James, it has been so apparent that James has been focused on the practical side of following Jesus, what it means to actually live out what we believe. Not to neglect faith or works but to see how they are both necessary for our daily lives. As we close up this letter, its fitting that the final bit of practical exhortation that James has for the believers is to pray.

Read James 5:13-20

James’ understanding of prayer is that it is a necessary part of following Jesus. This means going to God and having a conversation with Him. If things are rough, letting Him know that and then trusting Him in the midst of the storms in life. But God isn’t just a complaint box that we drop off our frustrations in. We have the opportunity to have a real conversation with Him. When talk with our friends, yes, at times we talk about the things that are bugging us or the things that hurt or make us angry. But we also tell them about the good things, the blessings and praises. And while he begins with an exhortation to the individual to pray in both good times and bad, James expands this to a call to pray for one another.
James goes on to address one of the issues that believers struggle with when it comes to prayer. “Does my prayer really matter?” Very clearly in vs 17-18 he says, “Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.” The problem with our lack of prayer, I believe, partly lies in the fact that we don’t believe in what prayer can do. We think we’re not strong enough Christians for our prayers to matter. But that’s the problem with our thinking, and what James says so clearly. Elijah, a prophet of God, was a man JUST LIKE US. It wasn’t about Elijah’s ability, but about the ability of the one to whom he was praying. If our understanding of who God is isn’t putting him into a man made box, then we’ve the freedom to pray BIG prayers.
So that’s the question for us today. Do we go to God in prayer? Do we pray for one another? And do we pray from our own strength or pray to the One who spoke the world into existence by the word of His power? James doesn’t beat around the bush, and I don’t think we should either. James 5:13, “Is any one of you in trouble? HE SHOULD PRAY.”

What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.


Monday: Pray for your relationship with God
Ask God to show you how he wants to use you in furthering His kingdom.