Tuesday, February 1, 2011 - Cozy Prayers

     I love driving by homes in the winter at dinner time. It's comforting to see the lights on and people gathered in kitchens and dining rooms. I can't help but wonder, "What are they eating tonight? What happened today that they'll tell each other? How will they spend their evening?" Yes, I'm nosey, but in a good way.
    You can only imagine the excitement I felt the first time I heard one of Billy Graham's children speak. I was hungry to hear stories of how the Graham family lived life in such a way that they're leaving godly ripples in the world. I don't remember if it was Gigi or Anne I heard but she told how on any evening their father was home, all activity and noise ceased at 6:00 p.m. in the house. I thought, "Wow, here it comes - Graham family devotion time - the Hour of Power," but I was wrong. At 6:00 each evening Mr. Graham turned on the television and listened to the news. I was sorely disappointed in the man until I learned that later in the evening, during family devotion and prayer time, he prayed fervently about what he had learned from the news. He prayed for God's intervention in world catastrophes, wars, and decisions to be made. He prayed people in the affected areas would be open to the gospel and that God would use him to carry the gospel to them.   
     Well, if that didn't shut my mouth and make me take a long look at my own prayer life.  I asked myself some tough questions.
Q: "Who do YOU pray for, Robin?"
A:  "Me, mine, ours, and, oh . . .those who affect me, mine and ours."
Q: "On what scale would you say YOU regularly pray?"
A:  "Small - no tiny. There aren't that many of us in my circle - I mean, compared to world-wide."
Q:"Have you ever thought of praying 'God use me to help those people on the other side  of the world facing that catastrophe?'" 
A: "Never. I've always thought 'Who am I? How can I help? That's a newsworthy, worldwide report. God uses the Billy Grahams of the world for those things.'"
Q: "Will you change the way you pray now that you know the widespread affect of wide-reaching prayer on your own life and in the lives of your children?"
A: "Well, I don't have much choice, do I, with you asking me in public like this? To tell you the truth, though, it would be exciting and add a lot of variety to my prayer life to pray like the Grahams. And, wow, to realize I can help my children understand God can and wants to use them in big ways would be amazing. Before I take on the world, though, I better talk to the rest of the gang. If I challenge God to stretch me out of my tiny circle He might do it and that could shake things up for me, mine and ours."
Q: "Why don't you do it anyway and surprise them?" 
A: "I like you - you're mischievous like me!"  


Lord, God You're a big God and we underestimate You every day of our lives by the small prayers we pray. It's easy to spot narrow-mindedness in others while remaining blind to our own small-thinking. Forgive us for thinking You can't when You can. Forgive us for not wanting to stretch when others don't know You. Lord, You send us into the world to light people's way to Jesus. 
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel 
     -- not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power." (1 Cor.1:17)
We can't do it on our own but:
  "With Your help I can advance against a troop! with my God I can scale a wall!" (Ps.18:29)
We may get knocked down but Your pit crew will put us back on track:

   "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." (Ps.91:11-12)

Father, help us live by faith in YOU and not by what we see as impossible.

  "We live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7


Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest and Jesus Calling
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