The service was good. There were opportunities to pray for forgiveness, each other, and for our community. As I was reflecting on it this morning, it occurred to me that God hears our prayers. Of course, I knew that truth, but it became real to me again. Many years ago, I asked God for a good choir and an orchestra to direct. He has heard those prayers and for the last 18 years he has allowed me the great honor of being a choir director and orchestra conductor.
A minister in Singapore wrote it this way:
As a pastor, I conduct weekly prayer meetings and pray for the sick and others in need. Prayer comes naturally to me and has been an important part of my pastoral ministry. Recently, in leading a devotional time on prayer, I discovered that I had made several typographical errors in the prayer quotations I had given to the participants. Although I was upset with the mistakes, I continued with the devotion.
How often are we as careless with our prayer life as I was with my typing? At times we pray not because we enjoy praying but because we were asked to pray or because we had to lead the prayer meeting. Sometimes we can be so caught up in what words to use in prayer (especially in public) that our prayer becomes merely an outward form.
Despite our shortcomings in prayer, Christ continues to invite us to pray and to teach us how. Jesus teaches us how to pray. He said, "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites ... when you pray, go into your room." (Matt. 6:5-6, NIV).
I am praising God for hearing our prayers today. I am also praising God that in our inadequacies, he still listens and brings new mercies to us each and every morning. Praying for you and whatever is in your life today. You Know I love ya, Don
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