Just a Few Words

Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees. ~ Corrie Ten Boom


Each year as the little lovelies come to my classroom I’m on the lookout for the storyteller. They are the one who can make a 20 word story last for 7 minutes.  They are usually very animated and I love listening them bring a simple event to life with living color and spectacular detail.  Unfortunately we don’t always have time to stay tuned in for the entire story and I have to ask them to skip to the end or give us the “tiny size story”.  I hate to do it but sometimes I just have to. One year not so long ago I had 4 storytellers and that was the year I learned a true appreciation for the gift of telling a powerful story in just a few, choice, touching words.  I just began reading a new book called God Help Me: How to Grow in Prayer by Jim Beckman and it is fabulous; he is an amazing storyteller!

Sometimes I use too many words like the storytellers in my classroom so today, I’m going to borrow some simple, powerful words from Mr. Beckman…I don’t think  he’ll mind; especially if you become inspired and decide to buy the book yourself.  I hope they hit your heart as hard as they hit mine.

“I previously approached prayer as a kind of drug.  I used it to help me feel close to god, to give me experiences of his presence.  But as with a drug, I could choose when to take it and I could sometimes go without it.  Prayer now has become more like air.  It’s not really an option: I can’t breathe without it; I can’t live without it.”

“There is very little in prayer that depends on me.  I can’t make myself have deep spiritual experiences.  I can’t create consolation for myself.  I can’t make up a word from God or make myself any holier.  All of that depends on God.  His movements are his and I can’t do anything to make them happen.  The only things that I bring to the mix are consistently showing up for prayer and the disposition of my heart when I’m there.”

How’s that for straight to the point!  I don’t think there’s any need for more words today…I need to concentrate on these and see where He leads me and my prayer time.

A Seed To Plant:  Take these two passages to prayer with you and see what the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart about them.

Blessings on your day!