Good Morning All,
I remember a story about a little boy who
had a hard time in school. He wasn’t
that popular; he wasn’t that smart and he wasn’t that athletic. He didn’t have the newest clothes or toys and
he never had any money to buy anything at the store. Most days he would just kind of mope through
the day except on Thursdays. On
Thursdays, he seemed a little more alive, a little happier with life. He would hurry home from school because it
was Thursday. He loved Thursdays because
on Thursday his mother would take the eggs she had collected into town and sell
them. After she did this, she would buy
him a piece of hard candy. When he got
home, his mother would give him some lemonade and the piece of candy. Then they would sit and talk about the day
and what was happening. Thursdays were
alright; it made up for the rest of the week.
The little boy had something to look
forward to and he saw it as a time of leaving the boring and sometimes painful
day behind. He loved the quiet time with
his mother. He liked the candy and the
lemonade. He liked telling his mother
about the day and how she listened and would make him laugh. We all need times like that. We need times when we can get away from the
weight of the day. We need some time to
refresh our batteries. For us as Christians,
we have a thing that we call prayer that can serve the purpose well.
When Jesus told his disciples to go into the
room and close the door, it was not out of embarrassment or fear. Rather it is meant to ring about our focus. We do not need or want any distractions at
this time. This includes praying in a
manner that is more designed to impress the world rather than open our heart to
God. It can be a
time of great healing for us as we speak of our fears and our sorrows and
though we know that Jesus isn’t a genie who grants us wishes and solves all our
problems and he is not an ATM machine that simply spits out rewards for prayer.
God’s plan is too big for that, and somehow it includes the hard times as well
as the good times. But Jesus does promise never to leave us or forsake us, and
sensing that kind of closeness in prayer can be a powerful thing for us when we
to feel accepted, loved, and cared for.
We may face
struggles and pain but we do not face them alone. With prayer, especially if we take time to
truly pray, more than a quick thank you for lunch or a short “I need” petition
but rather a time of prayer that is regularly scheduled; we can feel a
closeness to God that may be absent otherwise.
Regular daily prayer can train our mind to seek God and his peace and
hope first and by seeking him first; we will find the contentment that we
desire.
Father, we
look to you for all of our needs and you fill them. Lead us by your Spirit to seek a closer time
with you and a deeper sense of hope in your Word. Lead us to know that you hear us and that you
answer all our prayers. You know the
plans that you have for us and they are plans to prosper us. Lead us to trust this promise. In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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