Lord Teach Us To Pray

About two weeks ago a bus ferrying football players broke down near our home. As their bus was being fixed some of the footballers took walks around the neighborhood whilst others just sat and chatted with each other. Soon enough I noticed two of them kneeling on our verandah with their hands raised. I was taken aback as I was home alone and thinking of all the possible bad things that could happen to me with these two gentlemen kneeling on our verandah (I think I’ve watched too many crime series). 

I summoned all the courage I could and went to have a chat with them. After a little chat I discovered they were Muslim and that it was time for them to pray and they opted to make use of our verandah. What struck me was their “commitment” to prayer. They even went on to tell me how they carry their mat so that they can use it anywhere they are.

That made me think of my prayer life. How often do I just mumble a few words before I leave my bed and before long I am off with my everyday routine. Let’s not even talk about my devotions and bible reading. Unlike the two Muslims who have to carry a mat and face a certain direction to pray, we have the privilege to pray and talk to God anywhere and at any time.

Granted, prayer and bible reading will not come easy while we are on this side of heaven. Sometimes we will have to make a conscious decision to read God’s word and pray. Vaneetha Risner, author of The Scars That have Shaped Me puts it this way;

 Read the Bible even when it feels like eating cardboard. And pray even when it feels like talking to a wall. When I say read, I don’t mean just reading words for a specific amount of time. I mean meditating on them. Writing down what God is saying to me. Asking God to reveal himself to me. Believing God uses Scripture to teach and to comfort me. To teach me wonderful things in his law. To comfort me with his promises. Reading this way changes cardboard into manna. And when I say pray, I don’t mean a rote recitation of requests and mindless words. I mean really praying. Speaking to God honestly. Praying through a psalm. Desperately crying out to him. Asking him for specific help. Expecting him to answer.

May God forgive us for the times we have not prayed as we ought. That we will remember and choose every day, to stay in God’s word.

                                                             

                                                                          Plenty love,

                                                                                Kaps.