Pencil Ready? Pray!
Do you pray much? I know I’m getting personal here.When I was in my 20s, I lived alone in a little house in Alton. No TV. It was the days before computer or internet.
My phone was mounted on the wall and I could not in my wildest dreams imagine carrying it in my hand beyond the length of the coiled cord.
I had a radio, period. No i-pod. Wait a minute. How could I forget? I had a record player.
I listened to John Denver singing “Rocky Mountain High” with a slight “pop” where the record was scratched.
I was young and enthusiastic and busy and excited. I wore my feelings on my sleeve. It was easy for them to get hurt there.
Not much has really changed for me, except I‘m not young.
Back then, however, I prayed. I prayed and prayed and prayed.
I filled notebook after notebook with long conversations with God. I wrote to God about my day. I wrote to God about my confusion. I wrote about my fears.
I still have the notebooks. I look back at those prayers sometimes.
I think those conversations were good. I need to have more of them:
“Today, God, you’ve sent me a morning to soar. - Great sunlight, God. The birds are a nice touch, too, and that breeze…that breeze whispers the promise of spring. Thanks, God.”
I don’t write that kind of stuff in little notebooks any more. Sometimes, I think I should.
I should turn off the computer and TV and cell phone and take a walk. I should pull out my little notebook and take time to talk to my Father in Heaven.
I bet He misses the books.
God and I wrestled through more than a few problems on those scribbled pages. Ultimately, He answered my questions, even if His answer was “Wait.” I always tried to write God’s answers down.
May 2 is the National Day of Prayer, but every day should be prayer day. Let’s shut down some electronics and tell God we want Him in our lives.
I’ve got my pen and notebook ready. Do you?