The Privilege Of Prayer

  Over the years, it has struck me as ‘odd’ that people would contact me and ask for prayer because they say,  ‘I know your prayer is heard’ or ‘I know you prayers matter’….. or some other (to me) bizarre reason.  My prayers are no more important than anyone else’s.  Each of those requests could have certainly begun with them praying.

PATTERNS OF PRAYER

I’ve read a lot about praying, and how it should be done.  There are several patterns for prayers, so you can do it in a specific order, and other nuances which makes prayer a special time.  Honestly, I don’t know if I do it right; I just talk to God like He’s my best Friend!  

JUST CHATTING

Anyone who walks up behind me, may at any given moment, hear me audibly whisper a prayer of praise or call out for help!  

SERIOUS PRAYER

Our Sunday School class is studying about prayer based on the prayer Jesus gave during the Sermon On the Mount— ‘The Lord’s Prayer’.  The writer is very specific about certain areas and gives heavy weight to each line.  It’s been totally interesting, insightful and can leave a person wondering if ‘I’ll ever get it right!’

A BEST FRIEND

Yet one of the most power illustrations of prayer I’ver heard, was remarkably simple.  There was a sick man on his bed, I guess in essence knowing he was nearing his last days.  There was a conversation about prayer and he was advised to talk to Jesus just like he was talking to his best friend.  

One day as was customary, someone came to visit, and found the old man leaning over the side of the bed with his head resting on the seat of the chair. Apparently, he liked the chair there because he’d picture Jesus sitting there and talk to him.  He passed away in that position, with the indication that he laid his head in the lap of his best friend.  

I don’t know that I’ve ever pictured Jesus right in front of me while I pray, but I do look up, even at night, in the darkness, while on my knees.  Yet I feel like He’s looking down and listening!  

A CONVERSATION WITH GOD

And yes, I talk to Him, just like I talk to anyone else— or in the way I write!  But it’s personal.  The conversation is real.  There are times when, after I share what’s on my mind or heart, that my mind gets brand new images, or lines of scripture or a random thought I was surprised to hear.  In my mind, that’s God responding.  Sometimes all I can do is cry, smile and say ‘thank you’!

One of my favorite ways, or times, to pray is first thing in the morning before the world comes rushing in and filling my mind with questions, problems and all those ‘things’ that ruffle feathers, and raise blood pressure!  

A HEART FULL OF GRATITUDE

I positively love coming to the Lord, smiling with a heart full of gratitude and just say, “Lord, I’m not coming to ask for anything this morning.  I just want to sit at your feet and be in Your presence.”  Then I just wait….silently, and the goose bumps begin forming all over my being, as Christ’s presence rains down.

AN AMAZING PRIVILEGE

What a privilege we have, by being able to go to the Throne of Grace, one on one, with the Creator of the Universe.  My prayers, requests, problems, struggles or any other descriptor is different than yours or anyone else’s, but they’re not unique. We all have them.  But I choose to take those moments and revel in worship, to the God I serve.

Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do?  Isn’t that how relationships are shaped and grow?  Isn’t time the best thing you can give a child—or spouse?  Why not God?  He is the ultimate friend!

IT'S ABOUT RELATIONSHIP

What started as a ‘discipline’—  regular prayer time— has become a time that I rejoice in.  There is no greater love than what we can receive from our Almighty Father.  And as His child, I want nothing more than to spend quality time with Him.  After all, that’s what relationships are built on.

Photo Credit: Prayer

Reasonable Requests

  My daughter, who at the time, lived ten hours away, called me and said, “Mom, come save me!  Come watch my kids for the afternoon!  I feel horrible!”  She and her Air Force husband had four small children, one six months, eighteen months, three and five.  When she called she had a kidney infection, was in intense pain and her husband totally unavailable.

Of course her request was completely unreasonable since there was no way I could be at her home in the same afternoon, yet she knew if she had lived close enough, I would certainly have come to her aid.  

When the disciples were in the boat crossing the lake, as the scripture from Matthew 8:27 describes, there erupted a horrible storm.  The disciples were sure they would perish, yet Jesus slept.  They woke him and asked the seemingly impossible:  “Save us!”  What did they really consider he might do?  He was their Master, and they knew, the Son of God.   But I wonder if they really gave his actions consideration?  Even if they didn’t know how, they trusted he would come to their aid.

Jesus did the impossible.  He spoke to the winds and the waves and they calmed.  The disciples were awed.  What kind of man could speak to the weather and have it do as commanded?  Only God —only the Son of God.

There are days when I am faced with decisions and situations where surely I say, “Lord save me! I cannot do this on my own!”  I suspect we all do from time to time. Do we believe, however, that we really might receive help since from our perspective there aren’t any answers?  And if the situation seems impossible, why even ask for help? Certainly, when my daughter made her request of me, she knew I could not help her.  

What would have happened if instead of calling on me, she called on God and said, “God save me!  The ones I love are many miles away and cannot come to my aid.  Send aid in some form because I cannot handle this on my own.”  Her request would have been completely reasonable to God, unlike her request to me.  

I was powerless to aid her, yet at a breath away, was Christ.  I haven’t any idea how God might have helped her.  He might have dismissed the pain or sent someone to relieve her of the duties to her children, so she could seek the needed medical care.   

Sometimes, it isn’t even about those miracles we think we need.  There are days when the ‘little stuff’ just causes a panic, but we don’t think they’re big enough to bring before the God of the universe.  

Have you ever thought about God helping you find a good parking spot or strength to get your shopping done, help finding your lost keys (or phone), peace before making (or receiving) a phone call or even courage for making a doctor appointment?

As a widow, I don’t think I’ve asked God to bring companionship into my life for the lonely evenings, but I have told Him I am lonely. Nights are just hard. It’s so quiet and I feel so alone.  I’m not talking about a ‘romantic situation’….just a friend to be with sometimes.

There are plenty of tired mommas around us.  There’s nothing wrong with praying for help with exhaustion, children’s attitudes, sleep, or even the never ending to-do list, or housework!  In the workplace, paperwork, and attitudes of co-workers, the drive, or workload, are other circumstances, we can bring to a Father, who cares about the world we live in.

We are all likely guilty of forgetting that God is always there and always ready to do the impossible, especially in a crisis.  We look to others to help us, which isn’t a bad thing; but first we need to look to God and lay our issues at his feet.  We need only to believe and expect the miracle in whatever form it comes—even if it isn’t immediate.  

But we also need to remember, that God cares about our day to day lives, too.  He wants to be a part of it, regardless of how big or how small our need is. He is after all, the Perfect Loving Father, and he desires only the best in our lives. 

What need could God help you with today?

Photo Credit: Getting Help 

The Overflow of Grace

  I have a friend who has long moved away from where I live, to the mid-west, who seemed to ‘drain the life out of me.’  She and her husband would come visit Charles and me and before the afternoon or evening was over, I was just ‘done’!  

It seemed every conversation, every event, and every difficulty in life just seemed to go sideways and carried a heaviness with it.  Nothing ever seemed to go right. Life seemed more than she could carry.  It was exhausting!

BUBBLING OVER WITH KINDNESS

What I’ve noticed is there are other people who you love being around because the opposite happens.  There are those who bubble over with excitement yet bring calm in the storm, kindness when the world seems hard, tenderness when life seems cruel, and joy even in a dark room!  

They create an exhilaration that is contagious. You can’t help but be buoyed by their energy and inspired by their sense of purpose in life! Those are the kind of people that fill your heart with all things good!

WHEN TIMES ARE GENUINELY HARD

When Charles passed, I can’t help wonder if I didn’t come across in way that drained people from time to time.  I was broken and sad.  Still I tried hard to stay focused on the One who could keep me from falling down and never climbing out of that ‘woe is me’ hole, that is so easy to fall into.  

These are the days when I felt like saying, ‘I barely have enough for myself—-how in thunder can I pour out into others?’  It made writing excruciatingly difficult!

ABUNDANCE DOESN'T STOP WITH US

What I needed to realize is that abundance doesn’t stop with us.  We aren’t meant to soak in all that abundant goodness and not let it leach out into others.  It’s supposed to flow like the air we breathe, from one person to another.  God tells us in His Word that He will give us what we need to do every good work.  When we give out good, —-even good that seems small, —it can cause a ripple effect that can flow in all directions.

God is not going to leave us dry and empty when we reach out to Him.  He is our Lifeline to an ‘abundant life.’   He is the only one who can fill us with an inexpressible joy, along with a peace and calm that can barely be defined.  It’s Him flowing through us—-even when we feel unable to keep moving forward.

CREATING ENERGY THAT OVERFLOWS

The kindness someone shares with us creates energy and purpose for us to share with others.  The Holy Spirit uses these actions to empower and fill us to over flowing.  And, we don’t even need to feel like we are overflowing to start giving.  It flows naturally out of us when we surrender our lives to our loving Father in Heaven.

Most of us live lives filled with some kind of hardship.  Others come along beside us and help us take another step forward, giving their lives purpose.   And then we are able, with the help of the Spirit, to walk along someone else who needs comfort due to profound grief, or peace that radiates through our being, joy that gives boundless energy, strength in their weakness or even a hope that refuses to fade.

LIVING THE ABUNDANT LIFE

That is living the abundant life God intended—not a life free from hardship.  His presence, peace and power is available to us and can flow through us into others when we let Him fill us.  We can all live that life.  In fact….  if He is with you…  you are already walking in it.

Photo Credit: Grace

Choosing To Be Grateful --Receiving An Abundant Life

It took me a long time to understand how God could say choose gratitude in all circumstances.  I remember when Charles passed away, I was not grateful.  I was now alone, had super big decisions to make, a ton of things to learn that Charles always took care of and it scared me silly.  This was by far the biggest heartache and challenge I’d ever had to face.  How could I be thankful when life just hurts?

Someone pointed out to me —it doesn’t say be grateful for the circumstance; it says be grateful in the circumstance

LIFE IS HARD

When we choose to be grateful, we aren’t choosing to pretend life is perfect.  Life is hard, sometimes daily.  Who has a perfect life?  We none do.  Challenges come from all sides.  

We can be faced with relational challenges, financial uncertainty due to a lost job, health issues that have upended us, emotional hurdles just trying to stay grounded, and the list could go on and on.

WHAT DO WE CLING TO?

As we face all these situations, we each are required to find something to cling to. Otherwise depression and despair will move in and further burden us with more than we can bear.

When we are choosing to be grateful in the circumstance, we are looking beyond how we feel, and instead look outward and upward to a connection with the greatest link to life that exists!  Even if we feel spiritually dry and disconnected from God, he will meet us where we are.

TAKING OUR EYES OFF OURSELVES

This perspective takes our eyes off ourselves and turns them toward God where life can be lived with a measure of peace that cannot be found elsewhere. That’s a reason to be grateful!

SO MANY BLESSINGS

I know when I’m particularly ‘down’, it doesn’t take long to look around me and see plenty of reasons to say thank you!  Even in my darkest hour, God was with me and remains so every single day!  I can look at the beautiful green landscape out my window and know that life is beginning again after a hard winter.  

I can go outdoors and stand in the sunshine and feel the gentle warmth caressing my skin, see the birds and squirrels flitting about and see the occasional turkey in the yard, a young fox that is so beautiful, or chickens which provides eggs for our family.

As my cat comes near and rubs his soft fur on my legs I know that in his unique way, he cares for me.

FAMILY IS ALSO AMAZING

And more than any animal, I know I have children and grandchildren who care for me.  There’s food on my table, water in my well, heat when the day is cool and air conditioning when it’s too humid to enjoy summer.

When I think about all I have, even in my deepest loss, I know I still live the abundant life.  I know this because the most valuable possession I own is the salvation I received when I accepted Christ as my Savior.  No one can take that from me.  In this frame of mind, I consider myself rich!  It’s a gift which has limitless value.

CHOOSE GOD

By choosing to see God… right in the middle of an imperfect world and circumstance— I am choosing to live the abundant life.  It isn’t a forced life, it just flows, even if imperfectly!  I am grateful!

Photo Credit: Gratitude 

Does Our 'Stuff' Qualify As Abundant Living?

I look around my home and see so much ‘stuff.’  We’ve lived in the same place for almost 50 years, and because we haven’t moved, we’ve never had reason to get rid of anything.  Accumulation happens!  And before you turn around, you find yourself trying to figure out where it all came from, and what in the world are we going to do with all?

HARD CHOICES

Of course, for me, as a new widow, the problem is compounded by deciding what must go and what should stay from only ‘my’ perspective.  It sounds like it should be easy.  But somehow even as I go through those items that were Charles’ there are times it was/is a hard choice.

Many items meant so much to him.  They were his collections and things he enjoyed having.  And what should go to the kids/grandkids, and other issues that run through my head and heart!?  Even to the point of asking, ‘Am I betraying him if I get rid of this?’  I realize that may sound bizarre, but for me it matters!

LIVING THE ABUNDANT LIFE

The Bible speaks about God giving us the ‘abundant life.’  (See John 10:10) And for many that means being able to have all the material goods possible, that can affect our happiness in the smallest way.  

But God isn’t talking about ‘material goods’ for abundant living!  Abundance Biblically, is talking about what begins ‘within us’ —not what we have around us!  For some that’s a hard concept!  True abundance comes from a heart that knows Him.

WHAT MATTERS?

Material goods are nice, but they are man made.  There is nothing man made that we can take with us when we pass from this Earth.  Every item on that list stays here and ultimately doesn’t matter.  

What’s more those ‘things’ we cherish here on Earth, are cold and empty when we find ourselves alone and sad.  They offer no comfort, give no counsel, and extend no hope.  They are just cold, man made things on a shelf, and totally dependent on you to even make them work!

EVERYONE HAS PROBLEMS

Our lives are not easy, it doesn’t matter who you are!  Even the person who has millions of dollars has problems.  It’s the way of this world.  We all have emotions, relationships that work —or not, feelings we can’t ignore, health issues,  work place problems and more, which create havoc in any person’s life.  And ultimately, we all face death.  None of the ‘stuff’ we accumulated can help us at that point.

Sometimes when life is going at full speed and everything seems just right, we equate abundance to our circumstances…. ‘This is a life well-lived!  I’ve got it all!”, etc.    But then there’s an accident, the loss of a loved one, a disaster that wipes out everything we own, health issues which crush us….and a hundred other things.  Our immediate successes are turned into chaos.  How do we deal?

Suddenly we are feeling oppressed, abused and upended, fighting depression and a thousand questions about what’s going to happen next.  Everything we’ve put our faith and trust in, has collapsed!  It happens to everyone at one time or another, at some level.

CHRIST'S PRESENCE

Christ’s presence is where we find abundant living; not a full calendar or even a lot of stuff or people.  A relationship with Christ, which completely turns our world around, is where abundance begins.

When we align with Him, our hearts, minds and souls find peace —and a joy that can’t be defined.  He gives us purpose and a reason every day, to be thankful for waking up in the morning and praising Him!

Photo Credit: Too Much Stuff