Late one afternoon, I drove down an Austin side road checking my cell phone messages, going over my “to do” list, and flipping through the radio channels, just trying to go from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Suddenly, a glint of orange and gold caught my eye from the rear view mirror. It was a breathtaking sunset, filled with all imaginable colors.

    All was forgotten as I slowly braked to a stop and pulled onto a grassy median. As the flow of traffic continued all around me, I sat on the hood of my car watching this beautiful sight. The only response I could make? A silent prayer of gratitude to God for life, for his blessing, and for the opportunity to be alive and awake, right here and now to behold this beautiful sight. It was a technicolor prayer.

    A highlight of growing up on the farm was movie night. We’d bundle into the pickup truck and head for the drive-in theater outside our little town. The sun went down. The movie came on. It was in TECHNICOLOR. What a thrill that was for folks used to a small black and white television. Everything in Technicolor is clearer, sharper, and more beautiful.

    Folks ALL PRAYER IS TECHNICOLOR! Don’t dare try to live this year without prayer! Prayer is Technicolor as it crosses all time boundaries, all national borders, as it transcends and goes beyond all space and time. There is no time, there is no place, there are no people who are outside the possibility of prayer. You can pray for anyone, anywhere, anytime. What a gift!

    I tell you this because the Bible tells us to Pray and not “faint” — “Don’t give up!” God tells us.

    I tell you this because prayer is often taken for granted.

    I tell you this because prayer is often relegated to the last thing we do (“well, we can’t do anything more about this, all we can do is pray.”).

I tell you this because prayer is often taken for granted.

    I tell you this because prayer is often seen as a last resort when it stands ready to be the first resort.

    And finally, I tell you this because prayer is seen as the universal “fix-it” remedy, only to be used in case of emergency.

    Skeptical? Wounded? Weary? I will gladly absorb and answer any objections you have to prayer, and I’m a class A skeptic myself!

Objection 1: I prayed and it didn’t work.

Answer: It may not have worked in the way and time you wanted it to work, but what about ways you won’t see until years down the road, or till you sit at the feet of the Savior?

Objection 2: Prayer is just talking to God

Answer: Prayer is talking to God AND with God, and listening with every fiber of our being to His Will.

Objection 3: Prayer is too simple to work.

Answer: Oh, I see, like the simple elements of fire, air, and water? Do we not need these simple things to live?

Objection 4: I’m too busy to pray.

Answer:You’re too busy to live.

    The problem with these objections, and endless others, is simple: these are partial, fuzzy, black and white views of prayer, when prayer is truly TECHNICOLOR and beyond the borders of our limited horizon.

    I have seen prayer melt hearts.

    I’ve seen prayer break hardened faces of granite, and allow healing cleansing tears of forgiveness to flow.

    I have seen prayer cause people to embrace one another when before there was enmity and strife. I’ve been in the presence of someone personally criticizing me, my family, my faith, and my intentions, and when they finished I asked in an honest way if that person would have a prayer for me before they left. Their expression softened, tears began to flow, and today I have a friend.

    I’ve taken the hand of terminally ill patients as their heart monitor beeped 130 beats a minute, and as the prayer began, the beeping steadily fell to 80 beats a minute.

    Do you not know how to pray? The Bible tells us all we need to know. Pray as Jesus prayed. Pray simply. Pray without ceasing. Pray for your enemies. Pray in praise. Pray in gratitude. Pray for our world and for our leaders.

    I can’t make it this year without prayer and you can’t either. Let’s pray together.

“God, bless each person reading this to be in prayer to you this year. Thank you for the unspeakable gift of coming into your presence with TECHNICOLOR prayer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Title: "Technicolor Prayer"
Author: Cary Branscum
Publication Date: February 12, 2002

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