Free to Pray

I believe that we are called to maintain a sense of consistent fellowship with our Heavenly Father and to engage in persistent prayer. James chapter 5 states:
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

There are incredible things that we can experience as we come before the Father in prayer - in the name of Jesus.  Hebrews 4 tells us that we have access to the throne of grace, so that we might receive mercy and grace that will help us. We are invited in Philippians 4 to present our requests before the Lord. In an age in which prayer is being frowned upon in certain circumstances, we can be diligent and resolute to make prayer a priority, a foundational practice for our lives.

+++++

The Bible instructs and encourages us to engage in consistent prayer - 1st Thessalonians chapter 5 states:
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

We have a Savior who is available to hear our prayers at any moment, and we should be diligent to come before the Father in the name of Jesus throughout our day.

But, it seems there are European officials who desire to place a restriction on that consistent prayer.  In the aftermath of regulations in the United Kingdom that forbid silent prayer in front of abortion clinics, Germany has followed suit with its own potential curbs on freedom of expression.

The Christian Post reports:

Christians in Germany are expressing their concerns over a proposed bill that aims to establish censorship zones around abortion facilities, potentially penalizing pro-life prayers and offers of help, with fines up to €5,000, or $6,300. The bill, criticized for its vague language and questionable necessity, seeks to prevent actions the government deems “confusing” or “disturbing” within 100 meters of such facilities.

The international arm of Alliance Defending Freedom, ADF International, has spoken out against this proposal; the article notes:

The bill is ambiguous and lacks evidence supporting the need for this legislation, the rights group ADF International says, pointing out the government’s admission of lacking concrete data on incidents near abortion facilities.

The group draws parallels with the U.K.’s experience, where similar buffer zones have led to legal challenges against individuals praying near abortion clinics, referring to the Public Spaces Protection Orders in the U.K. The PSPOs threaten free speech and the right to peaceful prayer, the group adds.

German attorney Felix Böllmann, Director of European Advocacy for ADF International, responded by saying:

“The right to peacefully pray is protected by international and national law. No matter one’s opinion on abortion, everyone suffers when we start to censor the right to speak freely, pray or engage in consensual conversations,” he said. “The federal government wants to ban something but doesn’t know what or why. This law doesn’t ban ‘confusion,’ it creates more of it — both for citizens trying to understand the law and police officers who will have to enforce any vague new prohibitions.”

The Christian Post article quotes from Family Minister Lisa Paus of the Green Party, who "introduced the draft law last month, aiming to balance freedom of expression with the protection of women seeking advice at abortion clinics and family planning centers from harassment, as reported by DW." She seemed to equate the presence of praying pro-life people at clinics as perpetrating “hatred and agitation.” She said, “That’s why we are striking a balance between freedom of expression and the right of assembly..."

So, where's the balance?  Where's the commitment to allowing "freedom of expression?"  It seems to me like an effort to silence people of faith who earnestly believe in the power of prayer.

Ludwig Bruhl, a spokesman for ADF International, is quoted at its website, stating, "...this is just an excuse to marginalize, punish and censor certain opinions. Pro-life volunteers are there to pray, or to offer information about help available to women who would like to consider other options than abortion.” The site notes: "The draft bill is currently with the Federal Council and is still open for amendments. It will be voted on in the parliament." Plus, there is not statistical data to warrant such action - the ADF International website notes that, "the responsible Ministry recently admitted: 'The federal government does not have any concrete numerical findings' that would support the need for such a far-reaching bill."

This story can be a reminder to us to keep praying.  Wherever we are, whatever time of day, we can continue to be persistent in prayer.  And, just like Daniel, there may be consequences for our obedience to God - in an increasingly hostile atmosphere, harassment may occur.  Just like Coach Kennedy experienced when he would pray with gratitude to God - but then after years of court action, his actions were upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.  Praying is always the right thing to do.

But, do we do it enough?  I would think not.  We have to be careful not to be complacent or stuck in routine; rather we can make prayer a key part of our routine.  And, by doing so, we can experience a level of enthusiasm from which we can draw supernatural strength.  We will see God move in powerful ways as we accept His invitation to come before His throne, realizing that He is with us.