I am working through a book called The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson…. Each chapter ends with a prayer for your children. This week the prayer was very sweet, since we are working through prayer … I thought I’d share,
Most Gracious Lord,
Help us remember, in all the moments of our days, that taking time to cultivate a close relationship with our children is what will open their hearts to you. Give us strength and grace to listen to their dreams, to comfort them in their sorrows, and to make ourselves available for their needs. Help us remember that they want our attention more than our service. Thank you that you made yourself available to people and that you always make time for each of us…
Amen.
…as I studied this section God began to speak to my heart, to remind me of who He is… within the Prayer Quiz are two Truths that stood out to me. The first being question 7. (c.) Asking with at doubting heart is a hindrance to prayer. The second being question 3. It is a sin not to pray.
James 1:6-8 ”ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will recieve anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man unstable in all his ways. ”
In my early walk with the Lord and sometimes even until recently I have asked for things in prayer. But sometimes I have withheld asking. I have thought there is no way that God would do that because it is some thing I want so badly or it is something that I don’t think He would give me. At times I have felt that I had no right to ask because I did not deserve His blessing, His answer, His care…. Undeservingly, Graciously…. God brought me to a place where I was assured that I could ask for the things that I need, comfort, pruning, shelter, physical need, even the desires of my heart. As I was learning to lean on Him, to Trust Him, I kept a record of my answered prayer. He always answered. He always seemed to give me what was best for me. I learned to enjoy waiting on Him…. anticipating what He is going to do next in my life!
Week 1 Prayer Study:
“Let my prayer be set before You as incense , the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrafice..” Psalm 141
“Learning to Live at Home”
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance… Psalm 32:7
I think distractions happen when we wander from what matters most, and slip into an easily interrupted, distracted frame of mind. We need to live more at home. ” In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) This means, simply, God is our home.
Home of my heart, lest I forget
My redemption’s cost to Thee,
Let my earliest thought be set
Upon Thy Calvary.
These words center my attention on what matters most, speak of something that I cannot drop out of my day with out great loss to me. I know without question that an earnest “look” at Calvary does more to help our life of prayer than we imagine - Amy Charmichael (Edges of his ways p. 160)
So shall the sayings of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing continually before Thee, O Lord my helper and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14
It’s the Advent season and that means utter and total chaos for everyone! Rushing to and Fro… concerts, cantatas, piano recitals, school programs, serving in our communities… PHEW! God has opened the door for a few more people to join our study here in the next week or two! I am really excited about it, Look for my first post in the next week or two. Take your time to familiarize yourself with the study for those of you who have it,… and for those of you that don’t yet, we look forward to getting you aquainted. Feel free to comment online as much or as little as you like… every week there will be some thoughts and questions from me!
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The prayer studies have been ordered and I am awaiting shipment.
