Prayer...Who Can Understand It?

When we tell Lilley K we are going to pray, she stops what she is doing and folds her hands and waits... We know that at 19 months she doesn't understand prayer. But she hears us thank God for blessing us. She hears us thank God for our food. She hears us ask for His protection and help. But she doesn't understand. Prayer. I do not understand it. Just how does prayer work exactly? How absurd it can feel, to talk with God and ask of the Maker of the universe to give guidance and wisdom to the people I love. How odd to request His presence. Frankly, it’s a bit crazy to appeal for His healing touch. Please don’t misunderstand me. These things aren’t strange because God is sitting in an over-stuffed chair waiting to tell us no or flick us in the back of the head for asking. Quite the contrary… What baffles me is this… Who am I? Who am I that I should ask of God…He’s…GOD ! I do not understand prayer any more today than I did 35plus years ago when I gave my heart to Jesus. Then why do I pray, you ask? This is the part I DO understand. Scripture provides us with the answer to that why. Jesus said to and He told us how. The Holy Spirit revealed to the men who penned scripture the importance of prayer. Are you worried? Pray. Are you sick? Pray. Are you happy? Pray. Are you thankful? Pray. I’m so thankful for scripture that tells us not to be anxious but to pray about everything. Make our requests known to God. I’m awed that He even thought to tell us when we don’t know what to say, the Holy Spirit intercedes. So when the worries of today press in… When the fear of the future creeps in… When dark thoughts loom… When doctors walk in, And friends walk away, Questions remain unanswered, And your back is against the wall… Be still. He’s God. Yield to Him without the need to understand. He’s GOD. The One who holds the universe on the tip of His pinky finger, holds you close. So…yeah…we don’t have to understand prayer in order to pray. We can trust the Bible and know, prayer is not about our twisting God’s will to match our own. It’s finding that place of trusting His will. It’s resting easy knowing He knows best. I’m glad I don’t have to understand prayer. I’m glad I can trust in The Father. Come as a child…