Praying With 5

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

The single most powerful thing we can do is pray.  Prayer is our hope, it’s our peace, it’s our inroad to God’s grace and comfort.  We are called as christians to offer prayers of thanksgiving, prayers of surrender, prayers of forgiveness and prayers of petition.  Prayer is our communication with the God who created us, loves us and is waiting to flood our minds, hearts and lives with his presence if we just call on his name.  There are dozens and dozens of books on how to pray and why to pray and when to pray.  There are dozens of videos on prayer not to mention journals and tools to help us pray better.  All of these marvelous resources don’t do us any good if we don’t carve out the time to practice what they teach.

Every now and again I just have to STOP and back up the truck.  Things can get busy and complicated and we can get in a prayer rut or forget to pray at all.  When I enter one of these seasons I know I need to take a step back and simplify things.  These are also the times I usually need a reminder that praying can happen anywhere, anytime and doesn’t require books or journals or routine.  Simple, heartfelt spontaneous prayer is such a source of comfort, balance and joy.  I find that if I connect prayer to a frequently seen object it helps me remember to pause and pray.   In case you could use a simple way to slow down and pray, here is a quick way to pray every time you look at  your hand.  I didn’t make this up but it sure gets my attention and serves as a gentle reminder that I need to talk often with the one who loves me most.

As you relax you hands to your side, the thumb is closest to your leg so we start there and move toward the pinky.  Here’s what you do…

Thumb: since it’s closest to you, you use your thumb to pray for those who are closest to you.  Mention them by name and offer God whatever worry or wish you have for them.

Pointer: Say a prayer for all those in your life who point you to Jesus. 

Tall Finger:  Since this is the tallest finger and “towers” over the others, we use this finger to pray for those above us in authority and power.  We pray for leaders of our town, church, state, nation and world.  (Praying here a little extra instead of complaining about these leaders is so much more productive)

Ring Finger:  Since it is the weakest of all the fingers, this is  where we pause to pray for all those who are weak and powerless.  The unborn, the homeless, the hungry, the refugees all those who have no strength or voice.

Pinky Finger:  The little one we save for last is us.  Here we offer our own personal prayers and needs to the Lord.

Each time you gaze at your hand, pause and offer these five prayers.  It’s easy to do as you see your hands washing dishes or sorting laundry or resting on the steering wheel at a stop light.  I hope we never look at our hands the same way again!

A Seed To Plant:  Make a note somewhere about the prayers for each finger and find at least five opportunities this week to pray this way.​

Blessings on your day!