Rev. Johnson V.
1st August 2010

In all of nature, there is a fine balance that exists and even the smallest change in this balance has large implications. For example, in order for a seed to germinate into a plant, the soil must be rich in nutrients, and the seed must receive adequate water and sunshine. An excess of water or sunshine, can result in the seed being destroyed rather than it growing into a healthy plant. Similarly, in our lives, in order to reach the excellence that God has in store for us, we must fulfill certain conditions. Prayer plays an important part in fulfilling these conditions. In the first of this series on Prayer, we consider how prayer and work go together.

When we work, we receive benefits that are a result of the work we did. However in order to achieve the abundance that God has planned for us, we must couple our work with prayer. Without it, we have no standing in God’s presence. When our work is coupled with prayer, God is justified in blessing and honoring us.  Prayer without work is not enough, and work without prayer, is to reach lower than God intended for us. We must find a balance between prayer and work. Both are necessary and important.

God wants us to pray, but He also commands us to work hard. In God’s law, we are called to work for six days and rest/pray on the seventh day (Exodus 20:9). The Holy Spirit is not lethargic, He is hard-working and He expects us to work hard as well. He will equip us with all that we need to work in the manner that pleases Him. 

God honors sincerity and faithfulness. And when He finds that we are faithful, even though we may be going in the wrong direction, God will show us the truth. God did it for Cornelius in Acts 10:1to 6. The angel who appeared to Cornelius said in verse 4 “Thy prayer and thy work have come up as a memorial before God” (KJV). Cornelius was not a Jew, he probably didn’t even know who the true God was. But God heard his honest prayer. Cornelius was being faithful in what he knew and he coupled work and prayer together. God rewards faithfulness and punishes unfaithfulness.

Here are 2 examples of how God rewarded people in the Bible.

• 2 Kings 5 tells of how Naaman, commander of the army of Aram, was cured of leprosy. The faithfulness of the servant girl in his household, who held onto her beliefs in spite of her own tragic circumstances, and Naaman’s own faithfulness in obeying the prophet, ensured that there were rewards for both. But Gehazi, the prophets’ dishonest servant, received Naaman’s leprosy because of his own unfaithfulness.
• Daniel 6:10, speaks of Daniel, a man who excelled in everything he did. He was also faithful in praying. He was committed to honoring God through his prayer, even in the face of opposition. Daniel continued praying, as was his regular habit, even when he was guaranteed a death sentence for doing so. God honored him by saving his life and also lifting him higher in the eyes of all who sought to destroy him. 

Our prayers are not answered because we don’t work, and our work is not blessed, because we don’t pray. Praying with faith and working hard with faithfulness, will bring the fullness of His rewards.