Last week I talked about staying in love – based on a sermon by Andy Stanley. He talked about love being a verb – an action word.
This morning I thought of prayer this way. Prayer is an action word. But more than that it is something we can live by 24/7. Our lives can be prayed lives. Constantly keeping in touch with God is a life of prayer.
This can be seen in our actions, our words and our thoughts.
Do you keep up this close connection to God?
In times of trouble people say they feel the closest to our Lord. Think about it – isn’t that because they are continually talking to Him about their troubles? That bond becomes tighter when we talk to God and therefore we can sense His presence.
In times of delight do we still stay that close? Can our whole lives be the pulsating fullness of being with our Saviour?
The Apostle John talks about living in the Light – being with Jesus all the time.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin”. (1 John 1:7 NIV)
I think we can stay in the light – but it takes work, which is a verb; an action; a discipline; practice; effort. Prayer – which is talking to God – will be a part of you when you work at it.
Start small, with little breath prayers whenever you think of it. Let the Holy Spirit guide your thoughts, your eyes, your speech and your actions.
Oswald Chambers talks about seeing the vision of a life full of God.
“The test is the sixty seconds of every minute, and the sixty minutes of every hour, not our times of prayer and devotional meetings (Sunday March 11, 2012).
Find someone who believes in this type of communication – a prayer partner or accountability partner. Challenge each other. A challenge or dare to see if she could count to 1000 blessings started Ann Voskamp on a life of thankfulness and a creation of a best selling book, One Thousand Gifts. Jump start your prayer life by challenging one another to be committed to prayer.
To sum up:
prayer is communication with God
prayer is a verb
pray your lives
work at prayer
get a partner and challenge one another
As I finished writing this an email from The High Calling, Daily Reflections, by Mark D. Roberts, arrived. It is entitled Living in God’s Presence.
‘The sense of this verse (Psalm 116:9) is that the psalmist is living with a sense of God’s presence throughout his life on earth.”
being part of this wonderful experience of God’s miracle
prayer warriors under-girding the whole birth process
son-in-law – a patient calm coach
daughter – her strength, endurance, calmness to deliver naturally at 10 pound 7 ounce baby
God’s goodness and protection
midwives – fabulous – caring, calm, sweet
hubby who stayed in Arizona but stayed up late to hear the news
nurses in hospital
lactation consultant
a sweet sweet boy
grandson wrapped like a burrito (baby swaddled)
Jan and new grandson wrapped like a burrito.
Jan Cox
Jan, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. She has published two devotionals and a number of articles for magazines and a Bible study. She is owner of Under the Cover of Prayer and moderates the site. She also writes at A Better Way. Jan is working on a couple children’s books in which she is also the watercolour illustrator.
