The sermons on Sunday have had me thinking a lot (hence this blog from yesterday). Thinking about the way we make ourselves dependent on God....or the ways we don't. The ways we keep in touch with Him...or the ways we don't.
1. Self-sufficiency or dependence on God.
2. Praying without ceasing.
It's funny how these two things fit together. In fact, I think I could argue the point that if you don't have a vibrant prayer life, this is most likely a symptom of a lack of dependence on God. Now, there could be other things that diminish your (and my) prayer life....but let's be honest. Those other reasons will get taken care of if you are depending on God. ex: if you are mad at God for something or if you have sinned and don't feel clean enough to talk to God.....those things won't keep you from Him if you are depending on Him for your day-to-day life. You won't be able to resist going back to God because you will reflexively seek Him out throughout the day and you will WANT to make those other things right.
When I'm at the store and someone is annoying me, am I praying? I can pray for whatever is going on in their day that I don't know about. If I'm not feeling particularly gracious and spiritual, I can at least pray about my own patience and ability to be the love of Christ to people around me.
When my children are being disobedient, am I praying? I can pray that God will give me the patience to be an earthly example of a heavenly father. I can pray that God will work in their heart to bring them to Him and make them more like Him. I can pray that they will sleep better tomorrow so they are less crabby the next day. I can pray for my wife that she'll have an extra helping of patience today too. Or, do I just see a problem that I need to fix (self-sufficiency) and I take God out of the equation.
If I'm looking for a second job to help make ends meet. If I am looking to change careers. If I am preparing a devotional for Sunday night. If I am having trouble staying healthy but I know its what is best for my family. If I don't really want to engage my family today...... in all of these and in everything else, am I doing it alone or am I involving God in my life? If God is just a cosmic force who somehow cares enough to make good things happen for us but isn't really personal, then I don't need to worry about it. But, if the Bible is true, then I have a relationship to foster and a heavenly father who wants to help me in life. Who wants to be my source of strength. My source of hope.
My personal prayer life is a thermometer to help me see how my relationship with God really is. I can make a show of it in front of other people. I can stand up and speak on a Sunday, I can pray in front of others, and I can teach a S. S. class. But those don't actually gauge my relationship with God. If, however, I am not taking the time to pray and spend time with God, then I know where my relationship is at. So, here is step one....get on our knees and pray. Pray alone, pray often. Pray with your eyes open in the middle of a conversation and pray in the dark. Let yourself fall asleep praying and keep yourself awake praying.
To God be the glory, great things He is doing!
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