In his first epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul writes, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5: 17). This scripture clearly signifies that there is not a specific time-line as far as prayer is considered. As children of God, the incense of prayer has to be offered unto the Lord of Lords at all times. Hence the Psalmist sings, “Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice" (Psalm 55: 17). The Lord whom we serve never slumbers not sleeps (Ps 121: 4), which answers to the doubt if the Lord would answer to my prayers while I make one in the afternoon.

There are a couple of incidents in the Bible in which prayers were offered during the mid-day and subsequently, God heard those prayers, manifesting His powerful works amidst them. In the book of Acts, Chapter 3, we read of the miracle where a man born lame was healed. This incident happens at around three in the afternoon (ninth hour of the day). Peter and John walk upto the temple of God to pray, while they spot a lame man at the entrance to the temple, begging for alms.  Looking at Peter and John, totally unaware of who they are, the man begs for alms. Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, "Look on us". And he pays heed unto them, expecting to receive something huge from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I donot have; but I'll give you something that I have.. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Rise up and walk". Saying so, he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he stood up leaping, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. Peter makes a short prayer in the form of confession of the authority God had vested upon him, which brings forth an amazing manifestation of the power of the Lord in the early church. No matter at what time, eventhough it is during the heat of the day, God is always available to hear every prayer and supplication made to Him.

We read of yet another incident in Acts Chapter 10. Here again Peter comes in, who meets a gentile by name Cornelius who was also a centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, feared God with all his house, gave much alms to the people and prayed to God alway. The Scripture passage records of Cornelius having a vision evidently at about three in the afternoon when an angel of the Lord appears to him evidently to send men to Joppa and call for Peter who will explain him of what he has to do. On the next day, about the same time, Peter was praying and he sees a vision about God directing him to go to Cornelius' house who has sent men to take him along. The result of both of their prayers brought forth an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and a great salvation amidst the Gentiles. For when we read further, verse 44 records, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word". Subsequently, they were all baptized, making a covenant with the Lord. All these came to pass because of two God-fearing men who chose to tarry in the Lord's presence during the afternoon hours of the day, rather than to relish their sumptuous meal and curl up to snore.

Yet another incident of Jesus' second miracle at Cana in Galilee is recorded in John 4: 46 - 54. There was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.  The nobleman replied, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.  And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, your son lives. Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee. Seventh hour denotes 1'o clock in the afternoon. To the few words of pleading that the nobleman made to Jesus, the reply was instantaneous, irrespective of the time of the day.

The Bible speaks of another incident where God met man during the heat of the day. Genesis 18 narrates this instance, where the Lord appears to Abraham in the plains of Mamre as he sits by the tent door in the heat of the day. Abraham has visitors sent by God who prophesy the fulfilment of the Lord's promise to him. Evidently, encounter with God can happen even in the afternoon hours, which is the heat of the day.

The crux of the above is that, never hesitate to look up to God in prayer inspite of the afternoon hours. For our God is a God who listens to our cry and answers our prayers. David, the Psalmist sings, "O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come (Psalm 65: 2)."