Focus: Prompt Prayer

Text: Mk.1:30

"But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her."

Prayer occupies a primary place in our relationship with God. It cannot be substituted for anything, and I repeat, nothing can take the primary place of prayer in the life of a believer in Christ. 

The word for 'man' in the Greek is anthrōpos. This word is a compound of 'aner' and 'optomai.' We get our word 'optics' or 'optical' from it. So 'anthrōpos' literally implies, 'the upward looking person, or man facing up.' That tells you that man by nature looks up to his creator. He has a vertical vision and is vertically positioned to relate with his God. 

God created man with a face in order to have a face-to-face relationship with him. So man is a praying person by nature. God comes to him in the cool of the day to talk with him, and have rapport with him. This face-to-face communion between God and man speaks of kinship and intimacy.

In the place of prayer the believer in Christ breathes divine oxygen and inhales divine life. In the place of prayer man and God, and, heaven and earth come together in holy communion. In the place of prayer man practices dependence upon God, and as another has said, "A day without prayer is a boast against God."

Our text concerns Peter and his mother in-law. The woman fell terribly ill. The sickness was diagnosed as fever. Luke says that the fever was "great." That's 'mega' fever - immense and intense. Her whole body was inflamed. Mark tells us that "anon they tell him of her." Those around her, who saw her situation informed the Lord Jesus Christ instantly. No waste of time! No hesitation! No delay! They promptly prayed Him to come to her rescue. Our Lord Jesus Christ came right away, took her by the hand and lifted her up. Luke tells us what happened before she was lifted up. He says, "And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he STOOD OVER her, and REBUKED the fever; and it left her: and IMMEDIATELY she arose and ministered unto them" (Lk.38,39). The Lord Jesus Christ stood over the fever and rebuked it. Then He touched and lifted her, and instantly, the fever vanished from her body.

I want you to notice that the words 'anon' and 'immediately' used by Mark are the same Greek word. It means that as the people urgently called upon Christ for help, He also responded to them urgently, and she was urgently healed and restored, and also, according to Lk.4:39, Peter's mother in-law instantly got up and attended to them. That's instant prayer, instant healing, and instant gratitude.

The Lord Jesus Christ stood by His disciple, Peter. He did not put him to shame. He did not let his mother in-law die in Peter's house. Christ took the "great fever" out of her. The healing was instantaneous and miraculous. He restored the joy of the family.

God never abandons His own. He provides needed help in the nick of time. He gives a prompt positive response to a prompt prayer request. Christ still performs instant miracles. He still responds to the prompt prayers of His people.

Tell Christ about your situation. Waste no time in telling Him about your pain or trouble. Don't relegate prayer to the sideline. Don't treat prayer as a last resort. Don't trivialize prayer. Rather give it its primary place of importance. Learn to put first things first. Prioritize prayer and see God do awesome things in your life and in the lives of those who you pray for. Pray promptly and believe God for His prompt positive response.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter