A Christian Who Prays...Or a Praying Christian?

Reflections on Chapter One of "The Praying Pastor"

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

Is there a difference between a Christian who prays and a praying Christian? Most sincere Christians who desire to grow in Christlikeness will pray at least occasionally — before meals (or after, depending on where you live), as part of morning devotions, for sick friends and family members, and so on. Being a Christian who prays is good and important. It’s the expectation. To be a Christian who doesn’t pray is…well…not who we were created to be.

And yet, just being a Christian who prays is not enough. Prayer is not just a duty to perform or an add-on to other responsibilities. Instead, prayer is to be the foundation of our entire existence. It is as essential to our Christian life and growth as oxygen is to breathing. This is a praying Christian—the man or woman whose entire life is centered on regular and deepening communication with their Creator.

I have not always been a person who prayed well. I could recite the Lord’s prayer and was quick to look to heaven when I had a pressing need or to ask for my plans to be blessed and successful. But prayer as the lifeblood of my daily life? There have been many times when that was not the case. I’m still a work in progress.