Prayer

One of my all time favorite sayings is ~When life gets too hard to stand, Kneel in Prayer~ I saw that for the first time a few years ago and absolutely love it. Before I started on my walk with Christ, I found other ways to calm myself during a bad situation. (cookie dough) And there are moments when I still revert back to my old ways...but, mostly I am learning to go to God. The other night on one of my fav. Wed. night shows, the Mom made a pact with her kids that if they would do what she asked of them, she would try to yell less. She felt like they were not holding up their end of the bargain and she said, "I know exactly how to handle this". The very next scene went to her opening up her cupboard and spraying some kind of icing in her mouth. I laughed until I cried...too funny. Oh how I have been there.

Today's devotion talked about going to God throughout the day in order to make going to him a more regular practice. The first time we are to go to God is with our "waking thoughts". When we wake in the morning, we are faced with the troubles we set aside the night before, or the anxiousness of the busy day that lies ahead. Instead of laying there worrying, we should go to God. Give him your first thoughts of the day and ask him to help you. Max Lucado wrote, "Thank you for a night's rest. I belong to you today". I love that...I belong to you.

The next time we are to go to God is with "waiting thoughts". We are to go to him not to talk or to ask, but to listen. Psalms 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God. Awareness of God is a fruit of stillness before God~Max Lucado

We are also to go to God with "whispering thoughts". The book refers to these prayers as short, sentence prayers. After reading a few examples, I realized I do this all day long. "Thank you Lord" or "Help me Father". Sometimes they sound more like desperate pleas, than prayers...but I know he hears me. The books says you don't have to find a church or a chapel to pray to him...if you are in your kitchen and you need him, go to him.

Finally, we are to go to him with our "waning thoughts". At the end of the day, we are to let our minds and our thoughts unravel in his presence. We are to thank him for the good, ask him about the bad, and show him our love through including him in our lives.

This part I loved though...And as you close your eyes, take assurance in the promise, "He who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep". Psalms 121:4 If you fall asleep as you pray, don't worry. What better place to doze off than in the arms of your Father...Max Lucado~Just Like Jesus

Don't you love that? That vision of falling asleep in our Father's arms? Today our challenge is to go to God with our everything. Good Luck and have a FABULOUS FRIDAY!!!
Amy