Sit Down & Shut Up!
Friday, January 16, 2026
“Short prayers are long enough.” – C.H. Spurgeon
Ever since our family relocated to the Treasure Coast in 2011, I have made a point of attending the annual Vero Beach Prayer Breakfast that is held in the late winter or early spring. John Bona, a local businessman who is a friend of mine, started the breakfast more than 20 years ago and it is one of the largest civic prayer gatherings in the country, drawing 2,000 people each year for fellowship and prayer.
The speakers are always outstanding and have included Dr. Ben Carson, Kirk Cameron, Dinesh D’Souza, Jonathan Falwell, Ann Graham Lotz, and Tim Tebow among others. Meanwhile, Pat Boone, Guy Penrod, and Whitney Phipps have ministered in music over the years.
One year, Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty was scheduled to be the keynote speaker. However, the pastor who was asked to offer the opening prayer must not have gotten the memo because instead of praying for a few quick minutes, he droned on and on and on. I estimate his prayer lasted a solid 20 minutes, which put the entire program behind schedule. By the time Phil Robertson got up to speak, half of the huge tent had emptied out because people simply had to get to work.
Sadly, I don’t recall what Phil Robertson said that morning. All I remember is how the pastor – at least in my opinion – exceeded his time allotment. Perhaps he got caught up in the moment or more likely, got carried away with a false sense of self-importance. Either way, the people at our table were more annoyed than impressed.
Here is what Charles Spurgeon says about such matters…
“There were but three words in the petition that Peter gasped out, “Lord, save me!”, but they were sufficient for his purpose. Not length but strength is desirable. A sense of need is a mighty teacher of brevity. If our prayers had less of the tail feathers of pride and more wing, they would be all the better. Verbiage is to devotion as chaff to the wheat. Precious things lie in small compass, and all that is real prayer in many a long address might have been uttered in a petition as short as that of Peter.”
Remember, my friend, that the Lord’s Prayer – depending on the translation – only has 50 to 66 words in it.
“And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.” Matthew 6:7 (BSB)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
