by Elaine Helms

When you think of prayer, do you associate it with pleasure?

Too often we pray when we are in trouble, in pain, or when we need something. A sign that you are maturing in your faith is when you desire to be in the presence of the Lord just to be with Him, to ask what is on His heart, or just to rest in His arms in peace and delight.

Isaiah 56:6–7 says, “Every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath and holds fast My covenant, even those I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer.”

When we obey God, He gives us the pure joy of being in His presence. God created us for fellowship with Him, and the more we get to know Him and grow in our relationship with Him, the more we will spend time with Him just for the pleasure of His company and the joy of working with Him. It is good for us to seek His face to adore Him, not just use prayer to ask for what we want.

God is so loving and generous, though, that we cannot imagine all that He intends to give us (see Ephesians 3:20). “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights” (Psalm 36:7–8).

This article was adapted from Prayer 101: What Every Intercessor Needs to Know by Elaine Helms. NewHopeDigital.com encourages our audience to set aside time tomorrow, May 3, 2012, to pray, particularly for the US and its leaders.

Elaine Helms served Southern Baptists for 10 years as the national prayer coordinator at the North American Mission Board. She continues in retirement to facilitate the annual meeting of SBC national and state convention prayer leaders.

She is a member of the National Prayer Committee. Her books on prayer and church prayer ministry are being used in churches across the US, Canada, and Australia. She continues to speak in retreats, conferences, and state convention meetings, as well as consulting with individual churches. www.ChurchPrayerMinistries.org

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.