The word ‘watchful’ is a throwback to the Old Testament-era routine of sitting on a city wall and keeping watch. Watchmen were the first to see attacking armed forces or travelling merchants. They had the best vantage point. They saw what nobody else saw, and they saw things sooner than others saw them. That’s exactly what happens when we pray. We see what nobody else sees, and we see them sooner than others see them. Prayer provides us with a God’s-eye view; it increases our awareness and gives us a sixth sense that allows us to discern spiritual realities. In their classic book Geeks and Geezers, business gurus Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas make an interesting observation about a common trait among successful leaders in every field. Bennis and Thomas call them first-class noticers. ‘Being a first-class noticer allows you to recognise talent, identify opportunities, and avoid pitfalls. Leaders who succeed again and again are geniuses at grasping context. This is one of those characteristics, like taste, that is difficult to break down into its component parts. But the ability to weigh a welter of factors, some as subtle as how very different groups of people will interpret a gesture, is one of the hallmarks of a true leader.’ Prayer turns us into first-class noticers. It helps us to see what God wants us to notice. The more you pray, the more you notice. The less you pray, the less you notice. It’s as simple as that. Here’s a Bible formula for success in any area of life: ‘Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.’
