It was a prayer gathering in Sacramento, early 90’s. The room was filled with saints crying out to God, a rhythmic cadence of confession and proclamation. Pretty sweet. Then from the center of the room a man stood up, reached his arms to the roof and prayed. A hush fell over the crowd. “Oh God,” he began, “teach us that holiness is not the absence of sin, but the broken dominion of it in our heart.” It’s not what he said that left an impression, so much as how he said it. That prayer changed the entire meeting. No one prayed for a while, stilled by a genuine cry from the heart of this old man. His words carried an ethos I rarely see anymore. Later on I met Bill, at the time nearing 90, and since then, ushered into the realm of true prayer—the air of heaven. It’s been my desire since then to pray, not like Bill, but in love like Bill.

John Piper has said, “the man who doesn’t pray is like someone trying to push a bus out of a ditch, not knowing Clark Kent is on board.” That speaks to the efficacy of prayer, but not to its woo. If we approach prayer as a cause and effect activity, we will have our meetings, people will pray, but I wonder if people like Bill will bother to show up.

It’s debatable depending on where you sit, but by and large, the church is in decline, the prayer meeting shriveled to the faithful, and the cries for revival regulated to those ‘called to pray.’ But it wasn’t long ago that revival prayer punctuated the expression of our mission. The rank and file has seemed to move on, looking for the next spiritual fix to elevate their ardor. If only partially true, then the Old Liar has scored a point in the battle for the heart of the church. The saints are back on their heels, playing defense, huddled in strategy sessions, but missing the point.

If we would put aside our best single hour of the day to wait for the power from on high it would set in motion a chain of events where we, the Bride of Christ, would cherish audience with Him. The world would see us as no longer irrelevant, and anemic, but distinct. They would see the face of the Savior in the Bride, because we had grown close to Him, and reflected His love and invitation.

‘The secrets of the Lord are reserved for those who fear Him.’ Just imagine, a free-fall hour of worship with no agenda, a dance of celebration, spirit joined to Spirit united by love. That kind of hour will change the world, but not before it changes you.

Will you give your best single hour to Him?

Prayer is not a thing to do,
But a love to fend,
Two hearts alone together,
As one soul bends.
Prayer is for the guilty one,
When bricks of shame no more
Wall us out;
Toppled to the temple floor.
Prayer, a resting of a lover’s hand
Upon Another’s reach,
Two hearts alone together
One brief but long beseech.
Prayer, a brush of heaven’s light,
A pleasing living thing;
Two hearts alone together,
To laugh and sing.
Prayer is not a thing to do,
But a ceaseless fast,
As two hearts melt,
One love recast.

In memory of Bill, who taught me to pray, in love.