As I sit here and meditate on my prayer life, I wonder why we as Christians are somewhat still like the world. We pray, but so much of the time it’s mere words from our lips, instead of deep-seated gratitude from the heart. I remember as a child playing hide and seek with my siblings and cousins. The object was for someone to hide and everyone else would seek to find them. There was no reprieve, no taking a break, there was only seeking until you found the other person. My question today is, why don’t we seek God with perseverance and a strong desire to stay connected? It seems that many times our prayer time is like a roller coaster. Somedays were up and at other times we are down.
I find the times that I really pray from the heart is when there is a pressing need. When someone we love is sick, or there is a trial approaching. We may even be in the middle of the trial. Why, oh why don’t we love God enough to feel an urgency to talk to him every day about everything? Why don’t we take time to praise Him for all He has done without asking for anything? Just to be alone with him because we want to know him better. It seems it takes a pressing matter for us to have “honest to God” praying. Are we so selfish that it even dominates our prayer life?
I wonder if there would be less trials if I loved God so much that I couldn’t wait to run to him each day. If I would seek him every time an opportunity arises, better yet, if I would spend my thoughts looking for an escape to get alone with him.
I remember very well falling in love with my husband Ron. There wasn’t a waking moment that he was not on my mind. I was constantly thinking of a way to see him again. Making plans so I could see the person I loved most in this world.
I wonder how many trials I could avoid if I truly loved God this way? It could be that circumstances wouldn’t change that much, but they would be perceived differently because of my closeness with God.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:33a “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;”
Jesus said seek him first, not second,third, or somewhere down the list, when it is convenient. Not just seek his kingdom, but his righteousness. When you seek something, there is a diligence, an urgency, a passion to find it. If it is valuable to you, it becomes a mission. One that cannot be thwarted by anyone. It is consuming and controlling!
In Exodus 20:30 God said “Thou shall have no other gods before me”
Are you anxious to run to God in the morning?
Do you plan out time to spend with him alone in prayer and study?
How often do you think of him throughout the day?
I wrote this devotion three years ago. I often read old ones again to see how my life has changed since God placed them in my heart years ago. As I read this today I am brought to tears of joy because what God spoke to me that day, three years ago changed my prayer life. It could still be better but praise God it is so much better than it was and it is still improving as my love for Him grows.
