My husband has a motto he has lived by every day for many years: Today Matters! It may sound cliche, yet if one takes the time to ponder the depth of meaning hidden within these two small words, there is significant and relevant truth contained for these times in which we live. This morning I was reading a Caring Bridge Journal entry from a family journeying the painful road of childhood cancer. In the entry, the mom shared a quote from Hopekids: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift.  That is why they call it the present.” There it is again: Today Matters!

So many people in these difficult times are struggling with health issues, financial issues, marriage/family issues, and concern over our government, our economy and world affairs. Many families who love and seek the Lord wholeheartedly are experiencing tragic devastation and loss. However, Scripture tells us to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God (Phil. 4:6).”

Scripture provides record of the Son of God, Jesus Christ in Spirit and in flesh, spending days and sleepless nights in prayer before His Heavenly Father, seeking to daily bring the will of Heaven to Earth. If the Son of God had to spend valuable time in prayer (He completed His earthly ministry in three years), why do the sons and daughters of the Most High God through Jesus Christ (His Body) think it should be any different for us?

Scripture contains and details much with regard to the Lord’s heart concerning prayer. If we are to be the vessels He can make the Earth His footstool through (Isaiah 66:1/Acts 7:49), we must follow the example of Christ and become a people of prayer who understand that today’s prayers matter. If we are to truly be the Body of Christ being prepared as His pure and spotless Bride to be presented to Him upon His return, we must walk in the revelation of praying His Kingdom come and His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven as a daily prayer impacting today and all todays for generations to come throughout eternity! How else will His glory cover the Earth as the waters cover the sea except through a praying people who daily carry the heart and will of Heaven here on Earth (Hab. 2:14)?

We must purpose to pray continually (1 Thes. 5:17). If our words are spoken through the love of the Father, they will speak life into every individual and every circumstance. Isn’t that what prayer is all about: bringing the eternal life and all of Heaven’s goodness and abundance to Earth exactly as it is in Heaven? This command is not conditional as to whether we agree with what’s transpiring.

Let me offer a relevant example. Many in our nation strongly disagree with the liberal humanistic socialist agenda attempting to “change” and invade our nation, myself included. Our role as followers of Christ is to pray fervently for the hearts of those in positions of power and leadership to be transformed by the blood of Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven, and that the Lord would remove those leaders whose hearts refuse to follow His leading.

The sooner the Body of Christ understands our role as His house of prayer (Amos 9:11; Isaiah 56:7; Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46), the sooner our King will be glorified by His love and mercy covering the nations. Prayer changes things, even when we don’t see the answers manifest how or when we in our limited human understanding expect. When we pray we can be assured that the Father is at work on our behalf (Isaiah 66:5) and works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called by His name (Rom. 8:28). Many years ago, the Lord gave me a song called, “Pray and Never Give Up.” This is the heart and will of Heaven and our daily assignment, because today matters, and today’s prayers matter for all eternity!

The Lord is causing His people to be stirred and stretched into prayers of faith, prayers of trust, prayers of hope, prayers of perseverance, and prayers of resting in Him; resting and knowing He is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do. How does He work? He established us to rule over the Earth through the authority we’ve been given by the blood of Christ, the Word of Christ and the Spirit of Christ flowing through our prayers! We don’t have to understand His ways because His Word says they are higher than our ways. We are to receive, love and trust Him enough to follow.

Therefore, remember how important today is, and how important is every prayer we pray. Everything about today is a gift. The sooner we thank Him for the gift of today and pray the things on His heart for today, the sooner His fullness of life will not only manifest in our daily circumstances, but also in the circumstances of others. Prayer is truly how we express our love to our Heavenly Father and His love through us to others. There is no greater purpose and there is no other way to bring His goodness and the unlimited economy of Heaven to Earth…today!