Sunday, November 7, 2010

Please Pray

The Lord once made it clear to me that while I had become limited in what I could do (due to my physical condition) there was something He most definitely wanted me to do. Pray. His Word tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It tells us to pray for one another (James 5:13), and to pray for those who persecute you (Matt. 5:44). We are to pray to our Father (Matt. 6:6) and pray so that we don't fall into temptation (Matt. 26:41). Jesus even gave us a prayer to pray (Luke 11:2-4). We are told to pray if we are suffering (James 5:13). God's house is called a house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7). Jesus spent His time sometimes all night in prayer (Luke 6:12). Paul unceasingly made mention by prayer of the saints in Rome (Romans 1:9) and exhorts us to be devoted to prayer (Romans 12:12 and Col 4:2)
If it were not important, God would not have told us to do it. If He tells us to do it, then lets do it! I know in my own life it is much more important to pray over a matter or a person, than to try and fix whatever needs fixing without prayer. Without the direction, inspiration, and power of God we can do nothing. Prayer comes first.
Prayer is speaking and making requests to God. It is remembering who He is and what He has done. It is time spent in His company. It is waiting on Him. It is listening to Him. Sometimes it is eloquent. Sometimes it may only be one word.
A newborn baby only makes sounds not words, but it calls forth a response of tender love from its parent. Do you think our heavenly Father is any less? He hears the cry of His children.
The Psalms are filled with cries to God from the heart of David.
Pray fellow saint, you who are co-heirs with Christ! Don't fall into sin by not praying.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Imposed Rest

I give in to the need to rest and be still these days. In fact, I really don't have a choice, because of this disease. As long as I could manage it, I stayed busy for the better part of my life. I hate Parkinson's Disease, but because of it I have learned to use my time in better ways. So many people I know rush through their days, never getting to the end of their to-do lists. But because rest has been imposed on me, I have more time for prayer and Bible study. I have time to minister to those who need a listening ear, and I have time to recieve ministrations. I am so blessed.

I do the more important things today............ Cleaning my house and running errands is necessary, but it's even more important that I pray and allow God to touch people through me. This can't happen unless there are quiet moments in my day. Thank you, Lord for this rest.