“Somehow, the simple act of prayer links a sovereign God to a finite man. When man prays, God responds. Difficult situations change. Unexplained miracles occur.”
From my morning readings in “The Hour That Changes the World”, by Dick Eastman.
~ free ~, a photo by AlicePopkorn on Flickr.
The difficulty I have is in remembering to pray, to take all things to God. Prayer can be such a simple act, but there is a resistance to be overcome. I want to be able to handle things myself.
“An awareness of our past failures especially tends to buffet the mind as we pray. Suddenly we feel hopelessly unworthy of offering our petitions.”
From my morning readings in “The Hour That Changes the World”, by Dick Eastman.
{14} fear of rejection, a photo by KatLevPhoto on Flickr.
So what is important to remember is that grace is a gift. It’s not a one-time gift, that we can mess up, but an ongoing blessing.
That’s not to say that we can sin whenever we want with no effect. But it does mean that if I come to my Father in penitence, He is always ready to hear from me.
“When properly focused, prayer does more than just change one’s life. Prayer reaches out in love to our neighbors and the nations and says, “I care!””
From my morning readings in “The Hour That Changes the World”, by Dick Eastman.
Tony Reveals, a photo by Sean Molin Photography on Flickr.
That sounds great to me. I want to reach out in love. NeedlePrayer, for me, is all about reaching out to my neighbors, and even to people I have never met, in love. Please share how you reach out…
“To wait in silence is to bid farewell to earthly conversation and attention. It is that vital bridge that takes us from a carnal world to a spiritual world. This silent surrendering of the soul to God opens the door to the “higher plane” of His divine love.”
From my morning readings in “The Hour That Changes the World”, by Dick Eastman.
The Rainbow at Yellowstorm, a photo by Stuck in Customs on Flickr.
It seems like I always need something to listen to. I even play music to go to sleep. Silence feels threatening to me. But I am learning to embrace silence when sitting in prayer. I hope that soon I will be able to hear His voice in the silences I am able to allow.
“… our ultimate goal in prayer must be to glorify God by changing the world. God desires to pour Himself through us into our world, thus bringing about this change.“
From my morning readings in “The Hour That Changes the World”, by Dick Eastman.
Sunday 21st April, a photo by jf01350 on Flickr.
Prayer is about offering ourselves as a conduit to God. It’s also about changing ourselves to become more fit conduits, allowing Him to change us. That is how we can best glorify Him, by showing how He changes us and works through us. And what joy I have found in the times I have so far found to allow that outpouring!
NeedlePrayer 