I saw a road sign this morning while driving on the turnpike that read: "No Stopping Except for Repairs."
See, prayer isn't so much about us... sure we have a role in that conversation with God, but the awesome thing about prayer is it gives us a look into God's heart. You may have heard the saying "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak," right? Go with me on this... I'm not trying to oversimplify it ... but the same goes for when we talk with God.
At church we're about to embark on 33 Days of Prayer starting off with an entire week of unbroken prayer- I'm talking 24/7! Needless to say, I've been doing a lot of thinking about prayer and how it works. When I saw that road sign early this morning it suddenly occurred there is a great connection between that sign and our prayer lives.
Do I only stop to pray when I'm in need of repair? When tragedy strikes, when illness occurs, when a big life decision pops up? The Bible says "rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess. 5:16-18). Or in Ephesians 6 it says "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."
So am I only stopping to talk to God when I need something or when I feel like a repair is needed? How about talking to God all the time "with all kinds of prayers and requests?" When we view prayer as "for emergency use only" we are missing the heart of prayer. Or more like missing the heart of God.
See, prayer isn't so much about us... sure we have a role in that conversation with God, but the awesome thing about prayer is it gives us a look into God's heart. You may have heard the saying "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak," right? Go with me on this... I'm not trying to oversimplify it ... but the same goes for when we talk with God.
I can honestly say that some of the most meaningful times of prayer in my own life have been when I am silent and simply listen for God's voice. Yes, God does want us to stop and ask for help when we need repair... but He has so much more to show us beyond those times!
Think about it: the Creator of the universe wants to speak with you, show you things about yourself, your life, and the world that you never dreamed of! He wants to tell you that He loves you, that He wants you to love others, and invite you on a a crazy adventure of living for Him daily.
I want to hear God's voice more than I hear my own in prayer!
