The Presence of God
“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
(1 Thessalonians 5: 16–18 KJV)
Someone sent me an email yesterday thanking me for all the time I spend in prayer for these writings. I do spend a lot of time in prayer, but I don’t have my eyes closed all the time and it is not a formal prayer. I stay in the presence of God as much as possible. I don’t watch anything on television unless it makes me think of Jesus. I don’t listen to any music unless it lifts up the Name of Jesus. I don’t go anywhere unless Jesus would be comfortable going there.
Prayer is a conversation with God. It is not something to be written down and then read word for word. Prayers should come from our hearts. I have seen people reading a prayer word for word. That is a speech, not a prayer. When we pray, it is two people conversing. We should talk and then be quiet and let Him talk. If we talk all the time instead of listening, we will never know what He wants us to do.
You may think that you don’t have time to pray. You can pray while washing dishes, doing laundry, doing yard work, or anything else. Prayer is an attitude of the heart. Our attitudes when we pray should be humble and thankful that we have the privilege to talk to God.
Why is it that we will spend hours watching television or any other activity, but can’t take two hours a day for Jesus? What is more important to us, spending time with Jesus or doing worldly things?
Joanne Lowe
joannelowe8@cox.net
April 17, 2006