Surprised By Prayer

A transformation has occurred in my prayer life, one that I didn’t predict or expect and I don’t really know when it happened but it’s real. It dawned on me tonight when I was sitting in on a Bible class about prayer and our attitude about prayer.

I guess prayer for me has been an obligatory sort of thing… a measure of faith as a Christian. I am a Christian therefore I pray.

Tonight I realized that I love my “hour” of prayer and look forward to it. In fact, if somehow something interferes with it… I am deeply annoyed.

You see for some time now I get up in the morning and sit down with my Bible and read it. After I am done reading I get down on my knees and pray.

Sometimes I pray about things that are bothering me… like an issue with someone or something and I tell God that my spirit is troubled and I’m not sure what to do and to please help me. Let me tell you this God has helped me 100% of the time with those situations and of course I always thank him.

I thank God for Julie and ask him that we might have a long life together and that we would die on the exact same day.

I thank God for our family and my mother and Julie’s mother.

I thank God for our children and their excellent mates.

I thank God for my grandchildren and ask him to protect them.

I pray that my family members that need it would find faith.

I pray for the old folks at church that I love so much.

I pray for the special needs of the congregation that I am a shepherd of.

I thank God for that morning’s reading.

I pray that God would open my eyes so I might understand the truths he has recorded for me.

I pray to God that he would help me write articles and that I may become a better teacher.

I thank God for my prosperity and my good health.

And I pray that God would use me to influence others to become faithful.

I love my “hour of prayer” that doesn’t quite last an hour. If something happens and I need to talk to God I impatiently wait for that special time I have with him.

I was reading in Deuteronomy this morning that Israel had to “tithe” in order to learn to revere God. I suspect the same thing is true with prayer… you start praying because you are commanded to and then wake up one day and realize that God is not just some made up story but a true and real friend that you can’t do without.