01Apr
What to do: Prayer is talking to God, and specifically, it is asking Him for things. There are many ways to pray. No such animal exists as “the” way to pray. And as far as prayer postures, none are prescribed. Imagine talking to a loved one. You can speak in a short quick communique, like texting. You can spend hours rambling. You can express emotions; anger, fear, hope, regret, anxiety, weakness, joy, delight, or any and every emotion.
When talking to God, first try to picture the wisest, the most mature, the fairest, the most talented, the most productive, and the most committed person you have ever known or even imagined. If you can put together all those characteristics, you have only begun to form a mental image of God whom you are addressing.
Next, when talking to God, try to picture you and God. For that picture, do your best to visualize that you are five years old, filled with enthusiasm, worry, or whatever last motivated your five-year-old self. Can your mind’s eye create that picture? You are prattling away about the immediate and deepest desires of your little heart. Your grandfather is intently watching and listening as you ask some profound and needy five-year-old questions. Then picture the response from your grandfather, which comes packaged in love, patience, and experience framed by many years.
What to expect: Expect that God profoundly cares and hears every detail of every word you prayed. His comprehension of your needs and requests is not limited to your descriptions of your needs. He reads your heart and mind in such detail as would amaze and even likely inform. Not only does He hold comprehensive information about your psyche, his knowledge proceeds from a perspective sorted by his infinity. He knows all things real and possible.
With all those components and perspectives loaded into a being that cares more deeply about you than the most devoted mother who ever lived cares for her children, expect that He will respond perfectly! Don’t expect to understand all about the response when first given. The answer he will give comes via eternity. Expect that from his perspective that, he will frequently disagree with what you thought best. Expect that at the best time, he will answer your prayer perfectly.
James wrote, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 NIV) The very best answer to your prayer may involve moving you toward righteousness first, because being righteous before God is more beneficial than anything we could want!
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