Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Investigating the Content of Your Prayers

Do you pray? I know most people would say, "yes, to some degree, I pray." I think there is a much more important question than "do you pray?" I think a better question is "what am I praying about?" The content of our prayers says a lot about what we are thinking about, it shows us where our hearts are at, and it tells us about what things we are hoping and expecting from God. I get disappointed when all I see on a prayer list is the needs of sick people. Its important to pray for the sick, but most people when asked, "do you have any prayer requests?" always start naming sick or injured people. We should praying about deeper and broader things than just those we know who are sick.

For example...

I'm praying right now for my daughter's (who hasn't been born yet) future husband. I'm praying that he grows up in a home where his parents demonstrate a godly marriage. I pray that his dad would be the role-model of a servant for him so that he grows up in a home that teaches and prepares him to be a man of God and a great husband. I'm praying this right now for my daughter who will be born in 4-6 weeks.

I'm praying right now for God to make me more aware of His presence around me each day. If I truly believe that God is omnipresent, then I must believe that He is always around me. I want to be more sensitive to His presence being around me. I want to take more time to hear His voice and sense His leading each day. I don't want to live the moments of my day forgetting that God is all around me.

I'm praying right now for God to give me good rest at night so I can wake early to spend more time with Him. The thing that keeps me from spending that quality time with God is when I wake up groggy or with a headache. I want to rise in the morning with urgency, with focus, and with a rested mind and body.

What things are you praying about right now? What things do you need to begin praying about? Take time today to evaluate your prayer life and discover what it is you spend your time and focus taking to the Lord. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

5 comments:

  1. Elder JamesSeptember 8, 2009 at 12:05 PM

    It is always good for us to evaluate our prayer content. It will show how broad our belief is about God's over all care of our lives and those that we care about.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ChristySeptember 8, 2009 at 12:09 PM

    WOW! That is great! I pray for the sick, of course. But, I do also pray for the unborn, for our children to grow up and be good Christian people. I pray for those who do not know God to know Him. I pray for those who are lost to come home. Prayer is powerful and you have to be sincere and truly listen to what you pray for.

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  3. Erik ReedSeptember 8, 2009 at 12:47 PM

    Christy, you are exactly right. C.S. Lewis makes a powerful statement in his book "Screwtape Letters" that the enemy desire to keep us praying mundane prayers to our little God is lives in the corner of our ceiling that we stare at. Not the LIVING GOD who created the Heavens and the Earth and is with us in the very room as we pray.

    Thats been something I have never forgot since reading it. Good thoughts.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Crystal The Coupon MommaSeptember 9, 2009 at 7:26 AM

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR4PQ30VkBk
    Amazing, this is too sweet you have to watch it :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Erik ReedSeptember 9, 2009 at 4:39 PM

    Crystal,

    That is awesome...many adults can't say that :-)

    ReplyDelete

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