Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.  James 5:13

When you think of prayer, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For many, prayer is simply a way of communicating their needs to God during times of trouble. And that’s ok. James reminds us that when we face adversity, we should go to God in prayer. But a difficult circumstance isn’t the only time we should seek our Savior.  Prayer is communication with God. If I only communicated with my wife, Lisa, when I wanted something from her or needed her help, I’d be robbing both of us of the intimacy required for our relationship. Our marriage is based on all types of communication. In order for our relationship to grow, I need to tell her what I appreciate about her, how much she means to me and what I find attractive about her. And the same is true when it comes to our relationship with God.  

 God wants an intimate relationship with you. Don’t neglect opportunities to talk with Him, or you’ll rob that relationship of its incredible potential. Instead, pray in all situations, good or bad, and share with God everything that is on your heart. Thank Him, praise Him and communicate with Him through everything. Because as you do, you will grow not only in your spiritual relationship, but also in ways you never thought possible.

Dear Lord, It is so easy for me to turn to You in times of trouble. I have no problem sharing my needs and wants with You. But I know that’s not the only time I should communicate with You through prayer. Please bring me closer to You and help me to seize every opportunity to build intimacy in our relationship. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

One of [Jesus’] disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray.”   Luke 11:1

AS a pastor, I conduct weekly prayer meetings and pray for the sick and others in need. Prayer comes naturally to me and has been an important part of my pastoral ministry. Recently, in leading a devotional time on prayer, I discovered that I had made several typographical errors in the prayer quotations I had given to the participants. Although I was upset with the mistakes, I continued with the devotion.

How often are we as careless with our prayer life as I was with my typing? At times we pray not because we enjoy praying but because we were asked to pray or because we had to lead the prayer meeting. Sometimes we can be so caught up in what words to use in prayer (especially in public) that our prayer becomes merely an outward form.  Despite our shortcomings in prayer, Christ continues to invite us to pray and to teach us how. In today’s passage, Jesus teaches us how to pray. He said, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites … when you pray, go into your room.” Matt. 6:5-6.  God does not despise our imperfections. God wants us to pray; God wants to commune with us.

O God, we give thanks to you! We proclaim how great you are and tell of the wonderful things you have done.   Psalm 75:1

I kept a book of prayers that I’ve written. The book is nothing fancy — a small spiral notebook, rather frayed. I wrote in it prayer requests and thanks to God. I began doing this about 10 years ago when I read a book on prayer. The author suggested that we record our prayers as a method of increasing our focus and intent. I write prayers on matters that concern and worry me, and I write a list of special blessings and pleasant surprises for which I am thankful.  If I’m honest, I have to admit that my requests far outnumber my prayers of thanksgiving. I tend to list my petitions more than I recount God’s wondrous deeds. I personify the 10 lepers all by myself (Luke 17), giving thanks perhaps once for every nine times I take God’s blessings for granted.

 Now as I read back over my prayers that expressed fear and worry, I realize that God has addressed each one. Sometimes my prayers were answered as I had hoped. At other times, God blessed me with an unexpected answer. Some of my prayers are still unanswered. For each prayer I’ve written, God has touched me with love, mercy, and compassion.

Dear God, teach us to live in ways that express thanksgiving and praise. Amen.

Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:20

One morning I went to my friend’s house. I knocked on the door; and when my friend opened the door, he was holding his Bible. I realized that this was the time for his morning prayers.  I joined him. My friend read from the Bible, his wife read a meditation, and I was given the opportunity to pray. We named people, and I prayed for them.  After prayer, my friend invited me to join them again for fellowship with a Bible reading, the meditation, and prayer. I experienced the Lord’s presence in this small breakfast fellowship. I saw great joy on the faces of my friend and his wife. This unexpected morning fellowship has inspired me in my life with Christ.

Heavenly Lord, bless us each time we open the Bible and pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.”   Deuteronomy 8:17

At a dinner, I was joined by two people I didn’t know. When their meal came, they bowed their heads and said a prayer. I smiled. “Seeing someone else pray before a meal is so nice.”

The young woman responded, “Well, why not? The food we eat comes from God.” I appreciated her simple, matter-of-fact answer.  We labor day after day so that we have money to purchase what we need to survive and to give us pleasure. We could easily say, “I worked for this. I earned it. It’s mine.”  The truth is, God created the earth and everything on it. God created us and gave us intricate minds and bodies. God gives us strength, initiative, intelligence, and the good sense to use them.  Yes, we work to earn money for food, but God gives us the ability to work to earn a living. God also causes the seeds to grow so food is available. God is indeed the source of all good things. 

Dear God, remind us that you are the source of our strength, power, and will. Amen.

Is any thing too hard for the Lord?  Genesis 18:14

While I was reading Acts 12:1-19, the passage about Peter’s imprisonment and his rescue by an angel, God drew my attention to two details: the believers who pray for Peter and their reaction to God’s response to their prayers.  I read in verse 5 that the church was praying constantly for Peter. We aren’t told the content of their prayers, but the believers no doubt asked God to deliver Peter. When Peter came to their door and Rhoda informed the believers, their response was disbelief. When Rhoda insisted that Peter was alive and outside the door, his friends thought that Peter’s angel was visiting them. When they finally saw Peter for themselves, they were amazed.

Some elements of this passage are almost comical: the maid forgetting to open the door, Peter waiting stranded on the doorstep. The scripture also reveals something about human nature. Jesus tells us, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matt. 21:22). How many times do we pray for something without believing that God is capable of doing what we ask? But the Bible tells us, “With God, all things are possible” (Mark 10:27).

Dear God, strengthen our faith so that we pray with confidence, and open our eyes to see how you answer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Psalms 86:11

It is very early in the morning. Not many people are stirring yet.  Though my body begs me just to roll over and go back to sleep, my soul is stirring to get up and go sit with Jesus.  Though I can’t physically see Him, I know He is present.  I decide to open my Bible to the Psalms and use the verses I read as prayers to start my day. And the more I pray those verses out loud the less I hear all the nagging things of the world. A beautiful melody of truth starts to rise up and suddenly my worries fade in the light of God’s truth.  His perspective on things that are troubling me starts to overshadow my anxiety. Like shade on a hot summer’s day, I feel relief in His presence.  I know that He is preparing me for what I will need throughout this day. He is already standing in every minute of my day and He sees what I will face. So, He’s equipping me to be able to handle what is ahead of me with His gentle boldness, quiet strength, and loving grace.
In Psalm 81:10b, God instructs me, “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” He will give me what to say today. What to say in happy moments. What to say in aggravating moments. What to say in moments where I feel insecure and what to say when I feel completely confident. What to say in disappointing moments. What to say in response to questions.  He also reminds me that sometimes it is good to keep my mouth closed and say nothing at all.
All the words that rumble about in my brain and those that will proceed out of my mouth, Lord, You be the author of those.
Psalm 84:1 reminds me that God’s dwelling place is lovely. So, I ask God to dwell in me richly. I want Him to be what radiates about me. I want Him to be my looks today.  Not my hair. Not my clothing. Not my efforts. But simply Him and His spirit dancing invisibly about me… shifting a wrong attitude, guarding my words, and whispering constant truths into my heart.
Psalm 86:11 is what I ask the Lord to give me. “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart…”  Lord, may nothing separate me from You today. Teach me how to choose only Your way today so each step will lead me closer to You. Help me walk by the truth and not my feelings.
Help me to keep my heart pure and undivided. Protect me from my own careless thoughts, words and actions. And keep me from being distracted by MY wants, MY desires, MY thoughts on how things should be. bHelp me to embrace what comes my way as an opportunity…rather than a personal inconvenience.  And finally, help me to rest in the truth of Psalm 86:13a, “Great is your love toward me.”
You already see all the many ways I will surely fall short and mess up. But right now, I consciously tuck Your whisper of absolute love for me into the deepest part of my heart. I recognize Your love for me is not based on my performance. You love me warts and all.  Have mercy, that’s amazing.
But what’s most amazing is that the God of the Universe, the Savior of the world, would desire a few minutes with me this morning. Lord, help me to forever remember what a gift it is to sit with You like this.

Dear Lord, I love You.  All that I have read here is the desire of my heart.  I know and confess that sometimes my actions and reactions betray my love for You.  Please forgive me.  Thank You for Your grace that is able to recognize this new day as a new chance to walk closer with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’”  Luke 19:5-7

Usually when you hear the phrase, “for the greater good,” you know that someone is not about to get what they want. Parents tell their children “no” for the greater good. Leaders go against popular opinion for the greater good. Those are situations that we are more likely to accept. But what happens when God doesn’t answer a prayer for the greater good?

In the verses you read today, Jesus went against what most people thought was the greater good. His actions were always fueled by his desire to do what God wanted. Jesus declared that he “came to seek and to save what was lost.” And in some cases, that meant Jesus had to do something that made no sense to the onlookers.

The reality of a seemingly unanswered prayer can be overwhelming. Why would God not want to honor a good prayer request? The answer is very simple. God always passes over the “good” to make sure we have what’s “best.” The Bible says that God’s ways and thoughts are not like ours. He created us. So trust him as the Creator of your life to make decisions that will impact your life—for the greater good.

Lord, accepting your will for my life over my own can be one of the toughest pills to swallow. It hurts when you don’t answer my “good” prayers, but I know that you have my best interest at heart. Teach me how to totally trust you with every decision of my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The psalmist wrote, “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”  Psalm 86:11

My friend’s parents live in Hong Kong. During his first visit, his mother informed him of various cultural practices he needed to know about. “When you hand someone something,” she had said, “using only one hand is considered rude. Always hold it with both hands.”

I thought this would be easy but in trying, but in challenge from my friend I found that holding objects with both hands is difficult — both to remember and to do. I’m a fan of multi-tasking and take pride in my ability to do a gazillion things at once. But when required to pass my purchase or my business card or my money with both hands, multi-tasking had to stop. Because my hands could hold only one thing, I was forced to give this action all of my attention.

This made me think about how I sometimes come to God with my “hands” full of many things. I may put down whatever I’m grasping in one hand, but the other keeps clutching some worldly matter — dividing my attention and my heart. What I offer as worship comes from a distracted mind and heart, which, when I think about it, really isn’t worship at all. To worship truly, I must come to God with my whole heart, offered with two hands.

“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet… seek me daily and delight to know my ways…” Isaiah 58:1-2

When I could I used to take daily walks. They serve as the “required 30 minutes of daily exercise” my doctor advised.  Yet they were much more than that — they are also spiritual exercise for me.

Stepping out of my house, I look up and ask Jesus to come along with me. Then, for 30 minutes I tell Him everything I think He should know.  Sometimes I praise Him for Who He is and what He has done. But other times I would lay out a litany of things gone wrong.

 I reminded Him about my friends who have asked that I pray for them.

 I reminded Him that I still have unanswered prayers.

 I begged Him to answer various requests.

 I talked a lot.

 I prayed for my marriage.

 I discussed my son.

 On and on my feet and mouth went on.

One day in a state of frustration and confusion, I felt that I had no control over a certain situation in my family. I figured I could find the answers, and longed to step in and somehow fix the thing.

Whew – did God get an earful during that walk!

I stepped out my door looked up and said, “Come on Jesus, let’s go. The sooner I solve this, the better I’m going to feel. I have to deal with this now!”  By the time I reached the corner I had laid out the basics of the situation.  The issue?  My 27 year old marriage and it’s ending.  I explained the problem and poured out my heart.

“God, should I…?”

“Do You think if I …?”

 “What if she…?”

 “I think I’ll call. Better yet, I think I’ll go for a visit.”

On and on my feet, mouth and mind went.

I turned over every stone. Detailed each circumstance. Approached the problem from different angles, and suggested a variety of solutions.  Then, after an exhausting tirade, I had nothing more to say!  Opening my mouth to continue, nothing came forth. So I just walked on in silence.  About a block from my house, I felt God speak to my heart: “The two shall become one.” Whoa. I stopped in my tracks.  And then I heard three more words, which were almost identical to something God says in His Word: “Leave and cleave.”

“You’re right; Lord. I need to let her figure this out. And with Your help, she will.” 

Is there a situation you are facing that has made you weary? Are you at a point where you have nothing more to say? If so, you are not alone. Let’s pray today that our words will cease so that we can make room in our hearts and thoughts to hear His.

Father God, forgive me for being so quick to tell You how my life should progress. Forgive me for thinking I should be in charge of others’ lives. Thank You for Your Word that reminds me You are involved in the lives of Your children. Thank You for caring enough to speak to me even when I take so little time to listen. Teach me to trust You, in Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.