Is God good ~ does He see me, know me, hear me ~ and what in the world is He doing?
Have any of those thoughts ever crossed your defeated mind? Maybe you’re feeling like you’ve prayed your last prayer, strung together every word and emotion to describe your plea – and you’re out of prayers.
As a new believer I was drawn to stories of those who felt just this way. I still am. So I often visit the prayer life of Hannah, David, Elijah and Paul among others to encourage my own. Strange, those giant examples with bull-dog faith felt they didn’t have a prayer in dark times – but they ran to God in adoration, petition, and lament.
When I’m running on prayer-empty, I drop in to borrow their prayers. Not simply the rote and recited phrases, but deliberately step into the space and heart of those who prayed through despair. The way we perceive God influences the way we go before Him.
He is still good, He still sees us, He still hears us and He still knows what in the world He is doing . . .
I learned how to pray and believe for wild answers because I’ve lived long, prayed hard and experienced answers that man couldn’t keep up with. I discovered gold while sitting at the prayerful bedside of my children and grandchildren listening to their wonder that touches heaven purely by bowing and getting real. Honest and humble, bold and expectant.
It’s in the sacred way God shows us who He is when we linger over a wildflower. Be there, stay there . . .
We’re distracted in an anxious world and so often pray emergency prayers on the run. And maybe when we finally have a still moment, the world moves into our mind and has us pay attention to everything that needs attention but where we are.
I remember the Vesper poem written by AA Milne (pre-Pooh days) Christopher Robin is Saying His Prayers. A little boy talks at God but isn’t praying to God. In between the “God bless Mommy I know that’s right, oh and God bless Daddy, I almost forgot ~ If I open my fingers a little bit more ~ I can see nanny’s dressing gown on the door ~ It’s beautiful blue but it hasn’t got a hood ~ Oh, God bless nanny and make her good.” I used to play this song for my kids on a stereo (vintage term used for furniture that sound comes out of by spinning a vinyl album), thanks to beautiful-people Melanie, a folk singer from the Woodstock day.
When we cannot pray as we would – it is good to pray as we can. Spurgeon.
May we get past the distracted Christopher Robin prayers of “talking at” and confidently enter in to the hallowed where God desires to sit on the steps of our soul and just listen as we “talk to.” And Shh, listen.
When you haven’t got a prayer, borrow one from the desperate and devout:
Hannah ~ the fervent prayer of a devoted mother. (1 Samuel 1:1-20, 2:1-10)
Paul ~ bold prayer to change a life (Ephesians 3:14-21)
Habakkuk ~ pray with God’s perspective, no matter (Habakkuk 3:1-19)
And rest in between every line that we are seen and we are known . . .
Verna
Love this and you as always!
I love how you say so much in so little, dear friend!
Amen!!
And A-men! Thank you for dropping by and leaving a confirming comment,Ruth!
Dear friend, How often I find myself praying the psalms. I’m in them everyday and I often see myself there. Praise God for this shepherd boy who became King of Kings, yet was willing to write down his anguished thoughts, questions, pleas, & prayers for those of us, who are so blessed to read them anytime we need to.
Yes I too sometimes run out of prayer, but I know as this beautiful song goes, I am seen, I am redeemed, I am loved, and yes I am seen. Sometimes its a prayer that God’s blessed Holy Spirit within us is praying for us when we can’t, even with groanings too deep for words. Seems like the whole earth is groaning these days to be delivered. I’m so grateful for the God of Hope who causes us to have peace and joy in believing, so that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God who always gives us the victory, even commands our victory because His victory became ours when He rose again and ascended back to the Father. He’s waiting to welcome these weary ones home to the place He’s prepared for us. Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus.
Oh I know, the reassurance we find in the beautiful lamenting and praising psalms becomes our language of hope when we struggle. And yes, it does seem as though the whole world is calling out in their own way for deliverance from this wild world. Truly our only hope is the Lord God Almighty! Thank you for always adding so much encouragement, Glenda . . .