“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
–Psalm 46:10
Henry Blackaby makes several points with his devotion on prayer.
• The greatest moments come through prayer.
• God does things in our lives through prayer.
• We become aligned with God through prayer.
God requires our attention. If you don’t sense the Holy Spirit, it’s time to pray. These are certainly challenging insights worth considering.
I often need reminding that prayer is a dialogue. I’m not required to do all the talking or to carry the conversation. In fact, prayer is as much about listening as it is expressing myself to God.
The key is maintaining an attitude of prayer. A mindset where I acknowledge His presence is with me, careful not to ignore He is near. To be still in order to be filled. To quiet myself long enough in order to hear His still small voice. Staying close to Him in order to hear the whispers in my ear.
Certainly, He has encouraged us to ask, to share and to express ourselves to Him. He wants us to invite Him into the conversation. He is a gentleman and does not force His way or methods upon us. We are free to converse or to be distracted by the input of other things.
When He speaks how does He do so? It is easy to overlook the fact that He speaks to us through scripture. Hearing from Him through His word is in fact an act of prayer. We hear from His living word through the scriptures. He is no doubt communicating to us through the Word.
He also speaks to us through worship, times of song, music, praise, expression and awe. It might be at a gathering of the Church, during a walk along the beach or during a quiet drive on a business road trip. Where we worship is not limited by space, proximity or method. Our very work can serve as an act of worship when we dedicate what we do to Him. It makes Him smile.
He also speaks to us through His creation. The world He has knitted together proclaims His presence. He speaks, perhaps through the eyes of a new born child, the majesty of an amazing mountain range or a billboard that shares a phrase that sends a clear answer to a question you have shared with Him. He communicates in many ways. He will not be limited by our imaginations. He is the God of wonder! All of creation proclaims His glory. He is there if only we will not just see, but notice.
As we consider the full meaning of prayer and acknowledge all the ways that it is possible, we begin to better understand what is meant by prayer without ceasing. The opportunities to participate in prayer surround us. We need not only bend our knees to connect to the God of the universe we simply need to acknowledge Him in all our ways and He will certainly direct us. Not because He has to but because He loves to. And that is the great wonder and privilege of it all, He desires to participate in life with us.
Think and Pray: As you go about your day, don’t just think about things, pray about things. Turn those thoughts into a conversation, a prayer, that opens the dialogue with the most amazing friend, companion and God we could ever hope to know, love and experience. Let us pray! Heavenly Father, help me this week to be in a continuous conversation with You as I go about my days in Jesus’ name, Amen!
Ray Sanders is recognized as a passionate CEO, executive coach, a leader of leaders, a white-board aficionado and an innovative growth strategist with a heart for purpose-driven cultures and values-based leadership development.
