January 26, 2012

• Pray for You.

  The first time I heard this song, I went directly to my computer and found a youtube video with the lyrics. It's one of those songs you stop and listen intently to just because you aren't sure if it's really saying what you think it's saying. Or I like Anjelah Johnson's take on prayer. Both a bit on the extreme side of things, not to mention funny but can we really say we don't treat prayer like this sometimes? 

  In high school, I struggled more with being consistently in the Word than I did with praying. I could and did pray for lengthy amount of times. Throughout college, I felt things swaying a bit, not that I'm saying prayer or Scripture reading is better than the other. I just don't spend the amount of time I used to praying and lately I've found myself delving deeper into prayer like I used to. 

  I think we say "I'll pray for you" pretty flippantly because it's something to say. It can be a comforting thing to hear but is it really if you aren't actually lifting the matter to the Creator. No, I'm not pointing fingers at people that say they are praying for me. The challenge is to myself. If I utter the words in text, email, or vocally that I back my words with actions because faith without deeds is dead. 

  For the past couple years, I've had a piece of paper that is updated every month or so, in my Bible with numerous requests that I lift to my Savior. Obviously those aren't the only things I bring before Him but they are some of the more consistent ones. For me, it's a blessing to pray for others, especially when asked specifically to do so. 

  Personally, it takes a lot for me to ask for prayer. For me, asking for prayer shows 1. trust 2. vulnerability and 3. humility. It's hard for me not to think I'm burdening someone else by sharing my request but to have the mindset that others want to know how to pray specifically for you. I know this because when others share requests for me, I delight that someone would trust me in such a way. 

  The real challenge lately has been not to make prayer something I do but something that's a part of who I am. 

  After all, we're called to

  

  Even when we are not consciously speaking to God, there should be a deep, abiding dependence on Him that is woven into the heart of faith. In that sense, we "pray" or have the spirit of prayer continuously. 

  We often ask the probing question, what is God's will for our life? How's this for an answer.

  "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. 

  Prayer is such a vital part of our walk with God and I'm continually challenged to treat it as such.

  • 12:34 pm
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