A Prayer to Deepen Your Prayer Life This Fall

　　By Lynette Kittle

　　Bible Reading

　　“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” - Ecclesiastes 3:1

　　For the last few fall seasons, our family has been visiting a pumpkin patch, a place where we find God’s provision and bounty for us on the earth in full display. We see a colorful array of Genesis 1:11 in action.

　　“Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so.”

　　We enjoy fresh pumpkins in the patch, flourishing on the vines, ready to be picked, giant sunflowers swaying and raising their petals and leaves in praise towards God above, and over-the-head rows of corn stalks overflowing with ears of corn reaching towards heaven, along with a parade of farm animals skillfully and amazingly formed and breathed life from their Creator. It’s a glorious season to breathe in, a season of fruitful harvest, filled and overflowing with life-giving fruits and vegetables and trees displaying their most glorious colors and magnificent glory.

　　Fall Is a Time to Dedicate to Prayer

　　Yet, when looking for poems about the Fall, it’s surprising to see how many seem to focus on death rather than the life we see brought forth on earth. Fall is the time and season when we see the fruit of our labors, where what we’ve sowed and watered brings forth new life in miraculous ways. It represents the time of the year when we see both physical and spiritual harvests taking place. As Psalm 128:2 assures,

　　“You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.”

　　As fresh fruit on the vine is God’s new life in nature, so are the lives of those we’ve prayed for and shared the Good News of Jesus Christ with over the seasons of life. Maybe we’ve only invested days, but possibly it’s been weeks, months, years, and even decades of prayer and preparation for family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers in hopes of new life coming forth. Isaiah 3:10 says,

　　“Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.”

　　As fall is an exciting time for the earth, so is it for Christians, as Matthew 9:38 describes: “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field.” 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 describes how spiritual growth occurs and thrives and how, like gardeners and farmers, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are active participants.

　　“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.”

　　The world is sadly mistaken for focusing on death during the harvest season because it is about lives well-lived, receiving the fruit of our hands, and witnessing nature bring forth life in all its splendor. It’s a time when all our planting and watering brings forth abundant growth; as Matthew 9:37 explains,

　　“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.’”

　　For Christians, fall, or harvest time, is a season of spiritually gathering up all that we’ve planted and watered. It's a time when we see how God has brought growth through our prayers. Our efforts come forth in a way that encourages and deepens our prayer life, urging us to keep on praying for God’s harvest to be fulfilled.

　　Let’s pray:

　　Dear Father,

　　Thank You for the ways You answer our pleas and petitions for those we pray for to come to Salvation through Jesus Christ. Our hearts are deeply grateful for the growth You bring through our planting seeds and watering in the lives of others, causing their spiritual eyes and ears to be opened to You. As Jesus said, “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear” (Matthew 13:16). Deepen our prayer lives, we ask, in praying for those who do not know You. Lead us to diligently keep planting and watering, looking expectantly towards harvest time, where many souls will be reaped for Your glory. Direct our steps and efforts to make the most impact for You. Soften and turn the hearts of those we pray for to You.

　　In Jesus’ name, amen.