Praying Men

“Who is a man who can pray and who trusts God, the Lord?”

Did Ernst Moritz Arndt, who made this remark, not even imagine a time could come in which men did not think it manly enough to pray and to trust God? I don’t think so, for even during his time there were such men. But despite that, he claimed and shouted to the world: “He is a man who can pray!”

We completely agree with him. Wherever we look in the world, we find great men and women throughout history who made important contributions to society, who believed that prayer was essential, and were not ashamed to admit this openly. 

Louis Pasteur, who was known worldwide and became famous because of his research and discoveries for the treatment of infectious diseases, said: “Future generations will one day laugh over the foolishness of our modern materialistic worldview. The more I study nature, the more I am amazed at and in awe of the works of the Creator. I pray as I work in the laboratory.” – One of his students, Professor Allier, shared this: “We knew that Pasteur, who had made great discoveries in the fields of psychology and chemistry, was a believing Christian who knelt praying before His Father with the simplicity of a child.”

Who hasn’t been gripped by the musical creations of Haydn? Whoever has heard his piece “The Creation” will never forget it. The composer was together once at a gathering with other musicians when the question was asked how to best gain new strength when it wanes and tires. When Haydn was asked how he could be energized in his weariness, this master of music confessed: “In my home, I have a quiet place. I withdraw myself there and pray to God when I am feeling tired and weary and in need of strength. This resource of prayer in quietness and solitude has a strengthening effect that has never failed me yet.”

We cannot assume that great men did not pray. The opposite is the case. At all times and everywhere, there have been men who were brilliant in their field of work and were faithful prayer warriors. They were men whose knowledge and abilities in the various sciences paved the way for people today or who gave humanity something brand new and important.

A person is actually born as a prayer warrior because he not only has a body but also a spirit and soul from God. For this reason, he always feels drawn to his origin, to God. That is why he can never come to rest anywhere other than in the living God.

Geibel said so accurately: “Stretch your hand upwards in prayer. God will grasp it from above, and this touch will flow through you with holy power!” Every true prayer warrior has experienced this.

I am aware that there are many who do not want to pray because they believe that everything that happens in the world and in their lives happens because of unchangeable, established laws that cannot be influenced by our prayers. “Why pray?” they say. “My prayers don’t change things in the slightest. What godly wisdom has ordained will happen. I will not change anything with my petitions.”

Whoever speaks like that has not understood and comprehended God. The key to understanding prayer lies in the word “Father!” God became our Father through Jesus Christ. A father gladly does what his child asks him to do if the granting of the request is beneficial. Therefore, whoever denies the possibility of answered prayer does not know God. He knows nothing about the fatherly love of God and makes Him an uncaring lawgiver. But that is not the God who Christ has revealed to us. Yes, we can pour out our whole hearts to our God and Father! He hears and answers us always!