Sometimes prayer, talking with God, is less about moving the hand of God to action than it is repositioning our hearts to be in sync with His will and promises.
I was in several prayer meetings the last couple of weeks. Sometimes people prayed fervently for things God has promised to give freely. Love, joy, mercy, grace, boldness and unity just to name a few of the requests. Some of these, especially unity, do need to be ‘fought’ for in prayer because there are people involved who see spirituality and many aspects of life differently. But what about love, mercy & grace?
Love, mercy & grace are only a few aspects of God’s character that He offers freely & fully to us. So why do we need to ‘ask’ for them? Or maybe another way to pose the question is: Why are they so elusive if they are offered freely from God’s infinite resources?
Sometimes prayer is more about repositioning our hearts to align with God’s heart. We are flawed people with wounds that come from generations of other flawed people behind us and in our lives now. Then there are our personal choices. We often wind up protecting ourselves to the point of closing off from people. That in turn adds another brick to the walls we erect between us and our Maker.
This weeks photo is trying to visualize what happens. The love of God and all His other amazing qualities flow from Him unendingly like a broad, endless flow over a waterfall. Now take a look at the bottom of the photo. Rocks are in the way and no water flows over sections below the vast flow.
By praying to receive and give mercy, a shift begins inside of us. Like removing or at least moving the rocks, prayer opens channels in our hearts. This allows the good things of God to flow into us and through us to others.
Abba is faithful and His attributes are unchangeable and unending. We do not need to beg because God gives freely, but as we ask, we to begin open ourselves, allowing the flow of is goodness to affect us. With grace, truth and time the flow increases and we become more like Him.
Prayer is part of the life long process of transformation, step by step by step. Removing the rocks is often not easy, however, it is the power of His great flow that does the lions share of opening us up. We just ask, then agree, with His work in our lives. We are all invited to the process and we are rewarded often along the way.
Abba, I want to become more kind, gracious, merciful… like You. I ask you to increase the flow of your complete goodness through me. I choose to cooperate with your work in my life. Give me grace, truth and time to remove the things in my life that block You from flowing through me to others. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen
