Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Wednesday's Word: A Boss Your Heart Message

Many thanks to Mrs. D'Lane Moore for today's devo:

God often teaches me to boss my heart through the everyday things in my life.  I often feel like He whispers sweet truths to me through the ordinary, everyday circumstances I encounter. 

I have an 18 month old gift from heaven.  She is a delight and makes parenting look easy.  Lately she has been interested in our family prayer times.  After we say our prayers she will say, “Pray Papa”, meaning she wants you to keep praying, and she wants that prayer to be for her grandfather, Papa D.  So either her father or I will bow our heads and pray a simple prayer of thanksgiving.  No sooner have you said amen when you hear her sweet voice say, “Pray, Papa, a-gin” She wants you to pray for Papa again.  After she is satisfied that you have prayed for Papa enough then she will move on to other friends and family or herself.  I never stop her because I think it is so sweet.  I do however bring our prayer time to a close when she says, “Pray, cup.”  or “Pray, basket.”  I sum it all up with “Thank you God for our toys.”

Ephesians 6:18 says, “In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.” (Message) 

My sweet daughter’s eagerness to pray and this verse have worked together to boss my heart this week.  My daughter clearly thinks prayer is essential to our daily routine, but this verse reminds me that it is essential in the daily battle of faith that I face.  My daughter likes to pray and she is not concerned with how much of your lunch time she is taking up.  This verse says pray long and hard.  I have to confess my prayers lately have been short and easy- nothing too risky.    My little prayer princess makes sure we cover all the family and friends she can name.  Her sweet spirit and this verse remind me that it is a privilege to pray for my brothers and sisters in Christ.  When I do then they are not left open to an attack from the enemy, but when I don’t I miss out on joining God in the work he is doing in their lives.

I have to admit, at times, I pray without ceasing.  My heart and mind can be lifting someone up to the father all through my day and especially at times I sit down to be in his presence.  These are sweet times in my relationship with God.  Praying for Chrissie was one of those times, where for days on end I felt like I was in Christ’s presence, in constant communication with Him through prayer.  But the season passes, healing is brought in God’s perfect time, and in God’s perfect way, and though I don’t fully understand it I accept it and somewhat of a silence falls on our relationship.  I still pray, but it isn’t as intense, it isn’t with as much awareness, there isn’t a sense that I am holding someone up with my prayers. 

So today I asked God- who should I be praying for?  Who needs holding up today?  Open my eyes.

The answer came in the form of a ding from my cell phone- a text from a friend.  Her son is at the hospital again.  Things are not going as smoothly as they hoped.  They are weary, fearful, worried, and tired.  So I pray.  I pray long and hard.  I pray for my brother and sister so that their spirits will be kept up- placed on the high ground of faith in Christ and in the knowledge of knowing he is for us.  I bossed my heart today through prayer.  What will tomorrow bring?

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the sweet way you discipline us.  It is your kindness, Lord, that leads us to repentance! Help us to see prayer as essential to our everyday, everything.  Give us the ability to pray long and hard.  Open our eyes to the needs around us.  Bring to our attention the brothers and sisters that need prayer so that their sprits may be kept up in you.  And may all this be to your glory and fame and for your Name.
~Amen

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