Why Prayer Is More Than Just a Good Idea
One day Jesus told his disciples a parable to illustrate their need for constant prayer . . .
(Luke 18:1 TLB)
Sometimes we get that right.
We remember to pray.
Like on my recent trip to Home Depot.
I need two bags of soil.
Two super heavy bags.
So I pray for help and then head into the garden section.
To my dismay, the bags are soaking wet.
So now they’re super, super heavy.
I look around.
No employee in sight.
Just a lone customer.
Who offers to pull two bags into my cart.
Out in the parking lot another customer offers to lift the bags into my car.
He calls this his good deed for the day.
I call these answers to prayer.
Other times, though, I forget all about my need for constant prayer.
I’m experiencing some anxiety about an upcoming obligation.
Something I really want to do.
I can’t explain why I’m anxious . . . I just am.
But I’m handling it.
Even though my tight shoulders, especially the left one, are telling a different tale.
I can live with tight shoulder muscles.
Except that they begin talking to the neck muscles.
Who begin talking to the headache muscles.
Okay, I know there are no headache muscles.
But it feels that way.
And it’s difficult to think with a motrin-can’t-touch-it tension headache.
I should have started praying at the first sign – a tense left shoulder.
Before things progressed.
I can see that now.
Sometimes emotions that wind up overwhelming us start small.
Seem handle-able.
We miss the cues to pray.
And then, well . . .
Jesus tells a parable about the need for constant prayer that day, but I wonder if the experience of another day is ringing all sorts of bells for the disciples.
A day they set sail with Him.
In good weather.
The boat’s gentle creak-creaking rocks Jesus to sleep.
No wind, no waves, no problem.
Until . . .
A fierce windstorm came down on the lake; they were being swamped and were in danger.
(Luke 8:23 VOICE)
In the end Jesus calms the storm, but I’m stuck on this scene.
The scene of the storm’s progression.
And the disciples’ response.
Luke pens the verbs describing being swamped and in danger in the imperfect tense.
Imperfect tense describes an ongoing process versus the completion of an act.
Which gives the reader a sense of experiencing the weather with the disciples in real time.
As well as their progression from handle-able concerns to total panic.
I wonder what avenues of handling the storm themselves they exhaust before they wake Jesus.
I picture them calmly donning life jackets and tacking into the wind at first.
But as the storm progresses I see them frantically shouting over the wind.
Then wildly tossing items overboard.
And finally just hanging on for dear life.
Perhaps theirs is a cautionary tale about physical weather.
And emotional weather.
And a reminder to pray at the first signs of either.
Before we’re swamped and hanging on for dear life.
One day Jesus tells His disciples a parable to illustrate their need for constant prayer.
And one day He takes them out in a boat . . . .
And shows them.
See you in a couple weeks.
Love,
Thank you Cindy for your blog, I too lost my husband at the same time as your husbands passing.
It is indeed a new journey we are put on, I have almost no memories of the first year, a few more of the second year.
Now accepting that God was in charge of both our lives & now it’s just what is my purpose for this day I have been given.
Oh, Nancy, I know just what you mean . . . accepting the past and figuring out the present. No one prepared me for this part of losing Ron. Honestly, though, I’m mainly just so happy to be finished with the hard grief stage. It was a lot to bear.
Oh my gracious what a wonderful wake up this morning! I need to be reminded sometimes to pray before I do anything and this is a good lesson on that! I love you so much my sweet friend and I am so thrilled that you are back online every other Monday. Something to really really look forward to starting my week with!
I’m looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!!!
Indeed, such a great reminder to pray without ceasing. Highlights the importance of worshipping together. I’m thankful my church has a Wednesday night service as well as many Bible studies. Love you Cindy 💓
Love you . . .💓
You’re my Angel and always thinking about you. My sister lost her husband October 13 a battle with Alzheimer’s and the hard part she is in California. I send cards and prays . My prayers are that the Lord watch over her in all her decisions. Your Monday give the hope I need to help . Love you. God. Bless Always 🙏❤️
I didn’t know you have a sister! I wish she lived closer. I know you must miss her terribly.
Interesting after our talk tonight my dear friend, I could envision myself on that boat with Jesus. And today remembering His words come to me, I would have to wake Him up and Say, Lord what do we do? Not sure about when I first became a Christ follower, when I was told just believe…. how scared I would have been.
I think I would have let Him sleep until I’d exhausted myself! I’m trying to do better and start the conversation before I get to that point.
Thank you Cindy.
Thank you, Sara!
Thank you for this reminder. I forget to pray sometimes. Which causes me to worry and panic. Then I remember and do so. And then it all works out. If I had just prayed in the beginning, everything would’ve worked out sooner and I wouldn’t have wasted my time worrying. I have missed your blogs. Thank you so very much for doing this again.
I’ve missed being in contact with you on Mondays! Hope you’re doing well.