Pray without delay
Luke 16:19-31
I’ve been preaching about the importance of prayer: the need to pray without ceasing, even in the midst of frustration or when you feel like giving up. Today, I want to emphasize another aspect of prayer—the urgency of prayer. If you’re like me, sometimes you delay praying for certain things. You might think, Let me try everything I can first; if things don’t work out, then I’ll pray. But scripture tells us to pray continuously and not to delay.
This story about the rich man and Lazarus, while not primarily about prayer, holds a lesson about praying in a timely manner. In this parable, the rich man prays—but his prayers are too late.
A young boy returned home from school after taking a geography exam. That night, he knelt by his bed and prayed fervently, repeating, “New York! New York! New York!” His parents, curious and concerned, asked, “Why are you praying about New York?” The boy replied, “I had my geography test today, and I wrote that New York is the capital of the United States. I’m praying for God to make it true!” The boy’s prayer was sweet but misguided—and certainly too late! We can laugh at his innocence, but it reminds us of the need to pray beforehand, not after the fact.
Two Too-Late Prayers
The rich man offered two prayers after his death. The first prayer was for himself: "Father Abraham, send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in this fire." Abraham denied this request, explaining that the rich man had already received his good things in life, while Lazarus had suffered. A great chasm now separated them, and no one could cross it.
The second prayer was for others: "Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them so that they will not also come to this place of torment." Again, Abraham refused, reminding him that his brothers already had Moses and the Prophets. If they didn’t listen to them, they wouldn’t be convinced even if someone rose from the dead.
This man prayed only after he had lost all opportunities to help himself or his loved ones. He was too focused on earthly luxuries during his life and had no concern for spiritual matters or for others. His prayers, though fervent, came too late.
The Importance of Timely Prayer
Let us reflect on this story and its relevance to our prayer lives. Prayer isn’t a last resort. We must develop the habit of praying early and often, rather than waiting until situations spiral out of control.
Prayer isn’t just for ourselves. While the rich man eventually thought of his brothers, his concern came too late. We must pray for others—family, neighbors, and even strangers—while we still have the opportunity.
Prayer Shapes Eternity
The rich man’s story also reminds us that life is fleeting, and our earthly choices impact eternity. Jesus says that in heaven, there will be surprises:
Surprise #1: Some people we expected to see in heaven won’t be there.
Surprise #2: Some people we didn’t expect to see in heaven will be there.
Surprise #3: The greatest surprise will be that we are there—not because of our works, but because of God’s grace.
We must also act on the opportunities God gives us. If we delay showing love, compassion, or care for others, we might find it’s too late. The rich man ignored Lazarus at his gate every day, despite seeing his suffering. Let’s not miss the chance to care for the people God places in our path.
Pray continuously and without ceasing. Pray for the little things and the big things. Pray for yourself and for others. A preacher and a church bus driver both died and went to heaven. They found themselves standing in line to receive their assignments for their mansions, as Jesus had promised to prepare a place for them. As they waited, the bus driver was called forward first. The angel welcomed him, commended him for his service, and showed him a large, beautiful mansion. “This is your mansion,” the angel said. “You may go and enjoy it.”
The preacher, standing behind the bus driver, observed this and thought to himself, If the bus driver gets such a grand mansion, surely my reward will be even greater. When his turn came, the angel asked about his service, listened as he detailed his years of ministry and theological work, and then said, “You will have the basement behind that mansion over there.”
The preacher was shocked and upset. He couldn’t understand why this was his assignment. “I worked for God, preached His word, and sacrificed my time and family for the kingdom of God,” he said. “Yet the bus driver gets a mansion, and I am assigned a basement?” The angel replied, “Well, it seems that when you preached, people often slept. But when the bus driver drove, people prayed.”
So, you see, prayer is powerful and important, regardless of where we are or what we are doing. Whether driving a bus or attending church, prayer is always a good thing. Continue to pray—pray all the time, without ceasing, and do not delay your prayers.
Prayer is about more than asking for things—it’s about drawing closer to God. Jesus tells us, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Let us ask in faith, seek with purpose, and knock with persistence.
God listens to every prayer. He may not answer in the way or time we expect, but He will answer. Let us not delay or neglect our prayers. Let us pray with urgency, compassion, and faith.
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