"Pray without
ceasing…" — 1 Thessalonians 5:17
If prayer is conversing with God, then we are supposed to be in constant conversation with Him. While we served in Anse du Clerc/Jeremie, Haiti there was a young Haitian woman, Silfice, (sill-feece) who helped us around the house. I would often hear her saying “Jezu” – Jesus – as she worked. I asked her if she was talking to the Lord, she said “Of course”. Of course? As if to say to me, “You mean that you don’t? Doesn’t every Christian talk to the Lord?” Her point was that it should be as natural as speaking with your friends or your spouse or your Father.
But we all know that is not the case. In fact, if we hear someone talking to the Lord, we might think them a bit odd or eccentric, to say the least. For most Christians I would venture to say that their relationship with God is most often based upon their needs and not their love for Him. I will talk to God when I need something. Have you ever known someone and the only time they talked to you is when they needed something? They don’t really need you. They just need or want what you have. How do you feel when they call? How do you feel when they get past the greeting and get to the point. They need something. And when you give it to them, they will get back to their life and forget about you until they think you can give them something else that they need.
Sadly, that is very often how we treat God. We say we love God with our all, but treat Him as if we don’t. Praying is a discipline that draws you close to the Father … and changes your heart’s desires … Psalm 37:4 … “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” I think that means that He will exchange your desires with His. “Not my will, but Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Not in heaven as it is on earth.
“I come to the garden alone While the dew is still on the roses And the voice I hear, falling on my ear The Son of God discloses And He walks with me And He talks with me And He tells me I am His own And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known” In The Garden, C. Austin Miles – Public Domain
If prayer is conversing with God, then we are supposed to be in constant conversation with Him. While we served in Anse du Clerc/Jeremie, Haiti there was a young Haitian woman, Silfice, (sill-feece) who helped us around the house. I would often hear her saying “Jezu” – Jesus – as she worked. I asked her if she was talking to the Lord, she said “Of course”. Of course? As if to say to me, “You mean that you don’t? Doesn’t every Christian talk to the Lord?” Her point was that it should be as natural as speaking with your friends or your spouse or your Father.
But we all know that is not the case. In fact, if we hear someone talking to the Lord, we might think them a bit odd or eccentric, to say the least. For most Christians I would venture to say that their relationship with God is most often based upon their needs and not their love for Him. I will talk to God when I need something. Have you ever known someone and the only time they talked to you is when they needed something? They don’t really need you. They just need or want what you have. How do you feel when they call? How do you feel when they get past the greeting and get to the point. They need something. And when you give it to them, they will get back to their life and forget about you until they think you can give them something else that they need.
Sadly, that is very often how we treat God. We say we love God with our all, but treat Him as if we don’t. Praying is a discipline that draws you close to the Father … and changes your heart’s desires … Psalm 37:4 … “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart” I think that means that He will exchange your desires with His. “Not my will, but Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Not in heaven as it is on earth.
“I come to the garden alone While the dew is still on the roses And the voice I hear, falling on my ear The Son of God discloses And He walks with me And He talks with me And He tells me I am His own And the joy we share as we tarry there None other has ever known” In The Garden, C. Austin Miles – Public Domain
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