The Holy One call to me this morning. There is so much going on in the world at large. Many wonder how close we are to the end of life as we know it: Terrorist threats, and acts of depravity, plagues hitting the shores of our land, "progressive" leaders and diminished ability to protect ourselves from within and without of our own government, and even the severe and inordinate weather patterns that are causing destruction throughout the US and around the world. The list of fearsome threats just keeps growing.
Today, Holiness reminds me to keep praying. "Failure to pray does not change Who I am, it just limits your ability to know me."
Since Adam and Eve were first formed in the Garden of God, relationship was the underlying purpose the Creator had for their lives. The Lord God made man in His image and for relationship. The Lord God made Eve for He determined that it was not good for man to be alone. Relationships are the single most important part of our lives. We are hard wired for relationship and with so much of life happening outside of my personal control, my relationship with the Sovereign God of all creation is a top priority.
His statement this morning is an invitation for fellowship and I humbly accept it with thanksgiving. We are told to "pray without ceasing" which in the beginning may seem like an impossible thing to do, but true fellowship with the One we call the Holy Spirit means that He is with me wherever I go. In whatever circumstance I may find myself, He is here as well.
Phil 4:4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near." That means that He and I can converse at any and all times.
To "pray", by definition means to "implore". Is is easily and loosely interpreted by many as presenting what represents a wants or needs list to a Divine benefactor, who may or may not send it. But that is just a superficial beginning of what God desires as a relationship. Our needs create dependency and dependency creates relationship.
We are born dependent on someone else meeting our needs. Helpless at birth, we are dependent. That dependency begins a relationship with our parents. Our needs become the link to a deeper relationship that grows into a unity with others we call "family". As we grow up, the "need" dependency (ideally) morphs into a mutual love and respect of each one who makes up our "family". Prayer is like phone call to a beloved family member, not just to express a need but to talk things over. Sharing joys and sorrows, venting and laughing, at things we see and experience in this life is all a part of the call..
But unlike a family member who may be miles away or not near a phone to pick up our call, the Lord is near and His presence is very real. No matter where we are in the physical realm we are always one with Him in Spirit and He is always available to talk.
Then Paul goes on to say, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
This has never been more real to me than when I walked through the valley of the shadow of death with my late husband. I looked for and found reasons to be thankful. As the world delivers blow after blow of hurtful things, we will always find someone whose trial is more desperate than our own, or one whose hurt is deeper than the one we are experiencing. That is usually due to the intangible thing we call Grace, that enables us to withstand our own heavy burden yet not understand how someone else carries theirs.
The effect of God's grace is a mystery to the people around us and even to our own minds, but it always points us back to our source and that is the relationship we have with the Lord. Personally, grace is only seen in the rear view mirror and only truly understood after the trial has passed over us. That factor of God's grace is the reason why we must always pray and give thanks in every situation.
I Thess 5:16 says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you." I can rejoice that my conversation with the Lord is endless and since prayer is conversation with the one who is unseen, yet controls all things, I can very easily pray without ceasing.
The comfort of that established possibility along with the exhortation to engage in it, brings peace that the world needs but does not know. Paul in his 1st letter to the Thessalonians and as he was addressing the subject of the Lord's return left word to those of us who, along with him, believe that Jesus is coming back.
I Thess 15:9, "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him".
We cannot read Paul's words without realizing that the point of our salvation is a relationship; that we may live together with the Lord and that the living begins here on earth. The eternal conversation starts here.
Conversation with the Holy One does not need to be verbal. The exchange of ideas and the wisdom from my all wise Holy Counselor usually takes place in the realm of the thoughts. Verbal expressions from the human end are appropriate especially when the praying (conversation) begins at the point of thanksgiving and praise in acknowledgement and worship for who He is to me.
With thanksgiving for Who He is to me, I find myself praying to know Him better. I hear my own heart implore Him for more of His. With all that there is to learn about the Great I Am, His exhortation to keep praying is not just to get things I want or need, but is to grow in the ability to know Him and live in the deeper relationship He created me for in the first place.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
Today, Holiness reminds me to keep praying. "Failure to pray does not change Who I am, it just limits your ability to know me."
Since Adam and Eve were first formed in the Garden of God, relationship was the underlying purpose the Creator had for their lives. The Lord God made man in His image and for relationship. The Lord God made Eve for He determined that it was not good for man to be alone. Relationships are the single most important part of our lives. We are hard wired for relationship and with so much of life happening outside of my personal control, my relationship with the Sovereign God of all creation is a top priority.
His statement this morning is an invitation for fellowship and I humbly accept it with thanksgiving. We are told to "pray without ceasing" which in the beginning may seem like an impossible thing to do, but true fellowship with the One we call the Holy Spirit means that He is with me wherever I go. In whatever circumstance I may find myself, He is here as well.
Phil 4:4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near." That means that He and I can converse at any and all times.
To "pray", by definition means to "implore". Is is easily and loosely interpreted by many as presenting what represents a wants or needs list to a Divine benefactor, who may or may not send it. But that is just a superficial beginning of what God desires as a relationship. Our needs create dependency and dependency creates relationship.
We are born dependent on someone else meeting our needs. Helpless at birth, we are dependent. That dependency begins a relationship with our parents. Our needs become the link to a deeper relationship that grows into a unity with others we call "family". As we grow up, the "need" dependency (ideally) morphs into a mutual love and respect of each one who makes up our "family". Prayer is like phone call to a beloved family member, not just to express a need but to talk things over. Sharing joys and sorrows, venting and laughing, at things we see and experience in this life is all a part of the call..
But unlike a family member who may be miles away or not near a phone to pick up our call, the Lord is near and His presence is very real. No matter where we are in the physical realm we are always one with Him in Spirit and He is always available to talk.
Then Paul goes on to say, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
This has never been more real to me than when I walked through the valley of the shadow of death with my late husband. I looked for and found reasons to be thankful. As the world delivers blow after blow of hurtful things, we will always find someone whose trial is more desperate than our own, or one whose hurt is deeper than the one we are experiencing. That is usually due to the intangible thing we call Grace, that enables us to withstand our own heavy burden yet not understand how someone else carries theirs.
The effect of God's grace is a mystery to the people around us and even to our own minds, but it always points us back to our source and that is the relationship we have with the Lord. Personally, grace is only seen in the rear view mirror and only truly understood after the trial has passed over us. That factor of God's grace is the reason why we must always pray and give thanks in every situation.
I Thess 5:16 says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you." I can rejoice that my conversation with the Lord is endless and since prayer is conversation with the one who is unseen, yet controls all things, I can very easily pray without ceasing.
The comfort of that established possibility along with the exhortation to engage in it, brings peace that the world needs but does not know. Paul in his 1st letter to the Thessalonians and as he was addressing the subject of the Lord's return left word to those of us who, along with him, believe that Jesus is coming back.
I Thess 15:9, "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him".
We cannot read Paul's words without realizing that the point of our salvation is a relationship; that we may live together with the Lord and that the living begins here on earth. The eternal conversation starts here.
Conversation with the Holy One does not need to be verbal. The exchange of ideas and the wisdom from my all wise Holy Counselor usually takes place in the realm of the thoughts. Verbal expressions from the human end are appropriate especially when the praying (conversation) begins at the point of thanksgiving and praise in acknowledgement and worship for who He is to me.
With thanksgiving for Who He is to me, I find myself praying to know Him better. I hear my own heart implore Him for more of His. With all that there is to learn about the Great I Am, His exhortation to keep praying is not just to get things I want or need, but is to grow in the ability to know Him and live in the deeper relationship He created me for in the first place.
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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