Like we've never prayed before

Acts 4:23-31

Time and history have consumed the songs the early church sang. And we only have ideas of how the first Christians worshiped. Piecing together New Testament passages helps us understand some of their worship practices. But there are still a few things we know with confidence about those early Christians. For example, they heard the gospel of Jesus on repeat. They experienced power through miracles. And they prayed. Not everyone was a teacher. Not everyone performed miracles or was a designated servant of the church. But one thing every person could do was pray. If I could transpose one aspect of Christian life in the book of Acts into our life today, it'd be their way of praying. I'm not so sure they prayed with eloquence and great rhetoric like many of us think we have to. Instead, I'm impressed with their shared faithfulness to the act of prayer. And what about how they prayed. Acts 4 is my favorite example of prayer. I'm a preacher. So, I've preached sermons about Jesus hiding away to pray by himself. That's an important practice to have. But in Acts 4 the church prayed together in a way that inspires me. In this particular scene, having faced persecution, they prayed together for boldness. The Holy Spirit responded to that prayer. Look at some of the details to, perhaps, see why. First, they prayed as an immediate response to their situation. What other business mattered more? Also, their voices went up to heaven together. Their prayer also acknowledged God's power and promise. And they were specific about what they were facing and asking God to do. Finally, they didn't try to pray away their problems. Instead, they asked God for boldness to stay true to their mission in the midst of them. That's the kind of praying I want to have in our churches. What a shared experience! In the coming days, take stock of your church's prayer life. Maybe you have one or more of the qualities of prayer from Acts 4 already within your church. Praise the Lord! Or maybe it's time to ask God to reignite us with a true desire to pray like we've never prayed before. Stay blessed...john