Do you pray like the leaves depend on it?

Oh how I love to hear my oldest daughter pray.  It melts my heart.  And, when my youngest daughter squeezes her eyes shut and grabs my finger before we eat, I know she will do the same.  They know we pray before we eat, and they are ready!  Emmie says AAA-den when we say our Amens, and everyone laughs.  I love prayer time.  We also pray every morning before our day begins.  This is Macie's special prayer time.  She prays for everyone and in such detail.  A lot of times she says, "And we love everyone in the world, even those we do not know."  She is so sweet and wants to remember everyone.  She has no way of understanding just how big this world is.  She cannot comprehend the millions upon millions she is proclaiming her love for.  She sincerely means her words, but will she always?  I pray she does always have a heart geared for service to God.  I pray she always wants to love and pray for those she doesn't even know.


How often do you pray?  Do you talk to God like you know He is listening, like He is right there?  Do you pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17)?


Some of the next parts are taken from a Wednesday night devotion I wrote last year, about this time, for the ladies in my church   It was entitled the same, "Do you pray like the leaves depend on it?"


I was driving on Thursday and both girls were asleep, which was a miracle, and I was looking at the beautiful leaves changing colors.  I thought about how we don’t have to pray that the Lord will cause the leaves to change.  Every Autumn season it is just part of His plan. It just happens.  The beauty that comes in the fall is a blessing from Him, and we don't even ask for it.  I began thinking, is there anything in my life that I slack on praying about because I just assume He’ll take care of it? He takes care of the leaves' colors and He will take care of what needs to be taken care of?  It is already planned out, and I don’t need to bother Him about it.

As noted in my KJV Women’s Study Bible, Jesus emphasized the importance of prayer and that people ought always to pray.  Luke 18:1 says “And he spake a parable unto them to this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint.”  Prayer includes asking and getting answers from God.  But it is more than just asking; it is confession, adoration, thanksgiving and fellowship with God.  By its nature prayer is talking with God.  It is the basis of the successful Christian life, and is so important that not praying is considered a sin.  I Sam 12:23 says “Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you but I will teach you the good and the right way.”  

I have read countless things about assigning prayer days or prayer schedules. In the book, "The Power of a Positive Mom", Karol Ladd suggest that everyday in our prayer time we need to praise God, confess our sins, pray for the needs of our immediate family, pray for the Lord's will to be done, and pray in His name.  Then during the rest of our prayer time we can choose different topics to focus on each day.  I found myself sticking with this, except on the weekends.    In other words, I sometimes seem to take the weekends off on my in depth prayer life.  It’s not that I don’t pray at all on these days, it’s just not as much detail as it should be.  I may give Him a few minutes of my time in the morning and maybe again before bed, but that is it. 

What could your prayer days be?


My Example is ...


Sunday - Missionaries
Monday - Extended Family
Tuesday - Church (workers, growth, and programs)
Wednesday - specific guidance in certain areas of our life (children's school, moving, etc.)
Thursday - Friends
Friday - Activities involved in for the coming week
Saturday - Government and Country

Do you ever find yourself slacking on time with God during Saturdays and Sundays?


God does not take the weekends off, or any day off for that matter.  He is always watching over us and hearing us and guiding us.  He is there for us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and 366 on leap years.  He never takes a break, and we should not feel like it is acceptable to ever take a break from our God. 

Do you like the idea of assigning days?  Have you ever heard of that before?

Today's Verse

"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice."

Remember Ps 46:1 – “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble”.  But, we have to seek that help.  We have to acknowledge our need for Him.  When we have that relationship with our Lord we have the greatest resource possible.  Better than anything or anyone.  Let’s make sure we talk to Him today and everyday.

Is He hearing your voice everyday?  Not just when we are in trouble, but everyday about every situation.  He cares about it all.  He listens to it all.  He loves everyone in the whole world, even more than my Macie does. He wants to hear from you.  He wants you to pray about every aspect of your life like the leaves depend on it!