Day 18: E.M. Bounds - “Soldiering On”
“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”
“Pray without ceasing…”
Introduction
The call to pray is a call to war. As a soldier anticipates enemies in battle, God’s people should expect resistance to prayer. Busyness, laziness, and suffering all become enemies of prayer. E.M. Bounds greatly understood this. That’s why he urged Christians—and himself—to persist in prayer. We must “soldier on” in prayer.
Soldiering On
As a pastor, Bounds knew how crucial prayer was. He knew that a lack of prayer meant an empty relationship with God and a fruitless ministry. Therefore, he chose discipline over mood. It didn’t matter whether he felt like praying or not— his desire to pray may fluctuate, but the need for prayer remains the same.
Prayer was ultimately the foundation of his life and ministry. Known for his spiritual intensity, Bounds woke up at dawn and spent significant time in prayer before beginning his work for the day. No exceptions. To grow in his faith and see God move in the church, he poured out his soul before God. As a soldier of Christ, he persisted in prayer and guarded his devotional time carefully. It was his tenacious prayer life that kept him deeply rooted and grounded in God.
Reflection
Jesus teaches us to pray consistently and never lose heart. We tend to think about how we can fit prayer into our busy schedules, but it should be the other way around. Let’s guard the time we already have to pray and ask God for strength and perseverance to pray unceasingly. We’ll run into obstacles all the time. Yet the blessing of knowing God more deeply and seeing Him work in our lives and the church is worth every ounce of prayer. Therefore, despite the opposition, let’s soldier on in prayer.