I met a lovely woman from the John 3:16 Network when I offered to host her during a book launch. Lisa Lickel has graciously offered to guest post for Under the Cover of Prayer today. Would you please give her a warm welcome.
What Does My Life Look Like as Prayer?
by Lisa Lickel
“Make my life a prayer to you,” runs through my head…a lot! In fact, now that I’ve written it, I’ll probably hum it for the rest of the day. Some of you might recognize the lyric from a Keith Green song. I love it as a challenge and an occasional chastisement for forgetting to keep the line open to God.
What does my life look like as a prayer? (click to tweet)
It’s pretty messy, to tell you the truth. I can occasionally get fixated on the problem or the joy of the moment and forget about daily life. I more often forget to lay my endeavors before Him, which is absolutely ridiculous. I can praise but forget to ask, or typically, ask but forget to praise. I can get caught up in treating my prayer life as a formula: forget one part and the whole equation collapses; or I get caught up in treating prayers like wishes, as a friend recently reminded me.
“Lord, make my life a prayer to you”, is easier to sing than to live. (click to tweet)
It’s easier to hear than to do…but isn’t that our life challenge? To capture each thought, to take each moment, to give thanks even when we might not feel like it?
As a writer of fiction, I’m challenged with creating an enjoyable interlude for my readers, peopling my stories with characters who are real in their endeavors to live godly lives. It’s tempting to sugar-coat situations, to create people who never forget to pray, or in the case of my latest book, to create a pastor who’s so perfect he chooses to ignore a family need so that he can take one simple hour to pray, uninterrupted, for his church.
I find that my prayer life can’t be confined to those few minutes of “quiet time” with God when I haul out my Bible and read a devotional. I have to snatch moments during the day to sit back and wonder at the love and joy, or the hate and spite I encounter, to pray for someone who pops into my head, or a situation I’m reminded about, of a loved one who shares a special situation. It’s not my nature to save up prayer requests and throw a broad blanket over them, or gather them in a group hug once a day.
How about you? Have you been inspired by a hymn to challenge your life?
Here is the song Make My Life a Prayer by Keith Green.
Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin writer who lives in a hundred and sixty-year-old house built by a Great Lakes ship captain. A muti-published, best-selling and award-winning novelist, she also writes short stories and radio theater, is an avid book reviewer, blogger, a freelance editor, and magazine editor. Visit LisaLickel.com.
Lisa’s latest inspirational novel is The Last Detail, released in January from the Prism Book Group. Hope, love, and loss meld two polar opposite personalities. How long can they keep passion for their ministry and each other after the wedding?
ISBN: 978-1940099330
Pray continually. This is his desire that we be in constant communion with Him.
I am so glad you linked this post too, Janice. It has been a lot of years since I heard that song! I loved listening to Keith Green when I was in high school!
Thanks Rebekah,
I love finding songs that I haven’t heard for a long time too.
Blessings,
Janis
Many thanks Lisa for reminding us of this Wonderful wonderful song!
I think my favourite probably has to be Jamie Owens’, The Victor. The live version by Keith Green again is awesome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wil0PBylyW0
Don’t you just love his passion!
Let us never forget our Jesus is a Risen Saviour! Who spoiled principalities and powers and made a show of them openly. Life conquered death….. Thank you, Jesus!
Amen, Jim.
Reblogged this on PRAYER THERAPY BLOG.
I’m honored, Enna.
A lovely and insightful post, Lisa. Keeping God present in our lives throughout the day can be difficult in this clamoring, hectic world, yet He is the only One to get us through. A favorite old hymn of mine is, “What Wondrous Love is This.” The haunting Celtic-like melody touches my heart, while the words remind me of God’s incredible love and faithfulness to each of us. 🙂
Hi, Kate – oh, yes, I love that one, too. Thanks for reminding me.
Beautiful thoughts on prayer Lisa. I love this song too!
Laura, thank you for coming to visit! I appreciate it.
Lisa, I love Keith Green! I sing a lot of songs. Various ones our my prayer at various times in my life. Last night I sang Empty Me, and just poured my heart out in song and in prayer.
I’m afraid to even start thinking of my other favorites; I’ll never get them out of my head. Don’t you think of heaven sometimes as one amazing concert?
I enjoyed this lovely post. Thank you Lisa and Jan.
Thank you, Rose, my faithful friend.
You shared that so honestly and beautifully, Lisa. This last year God’s “unfailing love”
popped out at me from different verses in Psalms, which humbled and encouraged me. With my prayers I seek to trust Him more, since worry is usually my automatic go to unfortunately!
You really had an amazing year, didn’t you? May this one bring even more joy.
OH, you found the song! Thank you!