Day 10

Day 10:  Prayer

       Growing up I was told that to pray we needed to be on our knees with our heads bowed and our hands flat together fingers up.  Naturally I didn’t always follow the guidelines I was taught.  I would pray while walking, in the car, in a closet, no matter where I was if I felt I needed to pray I did.  Neither my mom nor our church encouraged this type of prayer.  When I did feel led to pray I would stop myself out of obedience to what I had been taught and actually feel guilty about praying. 

       I remember the first time I heard people praying out loud, I freaked!  How could they be so irreverent?  Don’t they know any better?  I asked a friend and she told me that when she read the Bible….oh my!  She even reads the Bible without a Priest?  She cannot do that.  Then I listened to what she said.  When she read the Bible she saw many times that Jesus himself prayed to the Father while walking and looking toward heaven.

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:  “’Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.’” John 17:1

       Jesus started this prayer while walking and looking toward heaven and for himself.  For himself?  When I pray for myself I often feel selfish or uneasy.  This is such a lie from the devil!!!  Jesus gained strength, comfort, guidance and power from God when praying for himself. 

       In my time praying over Ephesians 3:20 I have come to a new realization.  If I want God to work in and through me in an immeasurable way that only He can do then I need to pray for me!  I need to pray continually.  I need to pray when ever and where ever I feel led and called to pray.  I need to pray without ceasing. While standing, while sitting, out loud, quiet, while driving, while walking, whenever and where ever I am, pray.  It is important that you and I become obedient prayers.

       Do you need to release some of the lies the devil tells you to stop you from praying to our Father to do immeasurably more in and through you?  Begin now!  Pray right where you are.  Pray out loud.  Pray with hands raised.  Pray while looking toward heaven.  Wherever you are, what ever you are doing…PRAY!!!