In Conversation with God
Six years ago, when Angels in Our Midst came out, I received an email from a young girl in her mid-twenties who was given one of my books as a gift. Her email stated that she wanted to meet for coffee and know more about me because I was so “religious.”Religious. I hate that word. Religion or religious to me sounds more like a performance; and for me, faith is a relationship with a living God who wants to have a personal relationship with me.He loves me. He sees me and knows everything I ever go through – the suffering, the pain, and the joys. Through it all, He is there with me. He wants me to cry out to Him when I am suffering and sad, and He wants me to rejoice and give thanks to Him when I am joyful and happy.
When you have relationships – any kind of relationship – you have to have a deep personal conversation to keep that relationship on a level of intimacy. That is what prayer is: communicating with a living person in the form of Jesus. Trusting that person (Jesus) with all of your heart, mind, and soul. Being comforted by that person. Being guided by that person. Being held by that person.I was introduced to prayer as a young child. Going to bed we would say, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” Then in the morning before breakfast we would say, “God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food…” But it was not until I was introduced to God’s Word – the Bible – that prayer became the foundation of my relationship with Jesus. God’s word is living and active and sharper than any double edge sword (Hebrews 4:12). It penetrates to the very heart of the matter. More than anything, God’s ultimate desire for us is to have a personal relationship with Him. And how do we do that? By simply talking. Not at night before we go to bed. Or in the morning at the breakfast table. But every single moment of our days. Throughout the day. In the midst of our worry. In the midst of our joys.I have an acronym for PRAYER that I hope will resonate with you:P – Position yourself: Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus? Have you surrendered your life over to Him – asked Him into your life to be Lord and Savior of your life?R – Repent: Turn from anything that is not in line with God’s word – ask Him daily to cleanse your heart and renew your spirit (daily).A – Acknowledge that He is sovereign: He is always there. He sees you. Always.Y – Yield to the Holy Spirit: God gave us a gift in the Holy Spirit. Quiet yourself from the noise of the world to hear His Spirit whisper to your hearts every minute of the day.E – Encourage: Build one another up through prayer and by praying for others. God’s word tells us that “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17R – Rejoice! Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”We would love to hear how the power of prayer has played a role in your life, and how we can come alongside you and pray for specific needs in your life.