Thursday, May 26, 2011 - Don't Forget to Breathe

      From the time our children were in arms I've read to them at bedtime.  These sweet moments have sparked conversations, laughter, bonding and good memories. Since our kids were both "night people" they became more talkative as the lights went out in the house.  During these bedtime conversations I learned what happened at school, what was on their hearts, and what frightened or worried them.
     One night when Nick was three or four, after I had read to him and we had prayed, I lay beside him trying (once again) to talk him into going to sleep.  He had finally stopped talking, telling knock-knock jokes, humming, and making the usual bedtime requests for water, a pit stop, a tissue, and for me to lie down with him until he went to sleep. In fact, he was so quiet that I had drifted into a light sleep when I felt him move his face very close to mine. I opened my eyes to see him staring at me intently and nose-to-nose in the dark. 
     "What is it Nick?"
     "Mom . . . Don't forget to breathe." 
     Oswald Chambers encourages us to think of praying as breathing. "If we think of prayer as the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts, we think rightly. The blood flows ceaselessly, and breathing continues ceaselessly; we are not conscious of it, but it is always going on."  Have you discovered there's nothing more natural than breathing, unless you're thinking about breathing?  When I think about the act and necessity of breathing it becomes a chore, a worry, an unnatural feeling when breathing should be relaxed and comfortable. Breathing rhythmically balances the drawing in of air and the expulsion of air. One little Scripture teaches us that prayer should be as continual, natural, and spontaneous as breathing as we balance "inhaling" God's Spirit, Presence and Mind and "exhaling" our praise, thanksgiving and requests to him. 
1 Thessalonians 5:17
"Pray without ceasing." (KJV; NAS; ESV; ESV; NKJV; ASV; KJ21)
"Pray continually." (NIV; NCV; CEB)
"Pray constantly." (HCSB)
"Pray all the time." (The Message)
"Be unceasing in prayer."  (Amplified Version)
"Never stop praying." (NLT; CEV; GW; NIRV;)
"Pray at all times." (Good News Bible)
"Pray unceasingly." (DARBY)
"Without ceasing pray ye." (WYC)
"Continually pray ye." (YLT)
Don't forget to breathe!
Praying is like breathing: there's never a good time to stop. 
Lord, make us childlike in our faith that there's no prayer You won't answer and no prayer too small to pray. Teach us to start by thanking You for every blessing and by praising You for every gift. May we move and have our being in You. May You be the very air we breathe.

In the Name of Jesus, Who never mentioned unanswered prayer
Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest
photo from the family album