Many of my peers remember pay phones. They could be found on street corners, outside drug stores, and even in our school lobby. If you had $.50 you could make a phone call. If you didn’t have money and had someone on the other end of the line willing to pay for your call, however, you could call collect. This type of reverse charge allowed the recipient of the call to make the payment so anyone could communicate with them by phone.
Prayer is like this. In a world where everything we want or need has a cost–even within valued relationships–there is no charge for prayer. In fact, there is a reverse charge system.
If there ever was a price for prayer, it has been paid by Jesus Christ.
Now as we live here on earth, we have an intercessor in heaven.
When you feel like you aren’t good enough to pray…think again.
When you feel like you don’t deserve that thing you’re asking for…think again.
When you feel like you aren’t praying correctly…think again.
When you feel like no one’s listening…think again.
When you think you don’t know how to pray…think again.
When you feel silly…think again.
Prayer with our God may be the most innate form of communication we have. It’s as natural as breathing.
So when you’re feeling uneasy, pray to the God of provision.
When you’re lonely, upset, angry–pray to the God who created you and all your emotions.
When you don’t understand scripture, pray to the Author of it.
When your heart is hurting, pray to the One who heals it.
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When I was a girl I remember a friend coming to visit. Something happened while we were playing and some tattling occurred. Her mother immediately took her aside and prayed with her. I don’t remember the exact prayer, but I remember thinking “she must think her daughter’s really bad!”
Now as a mother myself, as a Christian with the testimony of Jesus Christ, as the daughter of a prayerful woman myself I now understand this childhood experience. My friend’s mother didn’t pray with her because she thought her especially bad. On the contrary, she wanted to teach her daughter to turn to prayer when emotions make us irrational. She wanted her daughter to turn to God in the face of temptation, negative emotions, and disobedience. It was a habit she thought important, and one I fully understand today.
I am 34 and now finally turning to prayer. Instead of imagining all the ways to have my say or get back at someone who wrongs me, I pray for God’s help to show LOVE. Instead of losing my temper with my kids on a rough day, I pray for God to give me patience. I pray all the time for God to help me to love people the way He loves them, to listen as He listens, to serve as He serves. I pray for a renewed heart, Godly mind, a quiet spirit.
I’m 34 years old and I seek Him in prayer. I still sometimes feel funny. I feel a little fanatical sometimes, but there’s nothing else I’d rather be fanatical about than my God.
Won’t you pray with me?
Father in heaven,
Can you show us who You are? Only by knowing who You are can we really know ourselves.
Help us to find our purpose in You. Help us to find our passion and our drive.
Come near to us, Lord.
Help us to feel Your presence and feel less lonely.
Wash over me with Your love and forgiveness. Help me to love and forgive others.
Let me be patient, Lord.
Let me be wise.
Let me be strong and courageous.
Father God, when my mind is weak and my body is frail, help me remember Who made it.
In Jesus’ Name, I live, and serve, and pray.
Amen.
