High Output Prayer

During our vacation, we decided we would have Sunday “church” by ourselves in the little lake house where we were staying. Since there are five of us in the family, my husband asked, “Which book of the Bible has 5 chapters?” So we all thought about it (and googled it) and came up with a few options, finally settling on the New Testament book of James. We would each read and comment on one chapter. So, at the end of our delicious pancake breakfast, we scuffled over which Bible version to use in the Bible app (and settled on whichever one the reader wanted) and then went around the big wooden table, taking turns reading.

What a rich and sweet time. I had the last chapter, the one that ends with some instructions about prayer. “Elijah was a man with human frailties, just like all of us, but he prayed and received supernatural answers. He actually shut the heavens over the land so there would be no rain for three and a half years! Then he prayed again and the skies opened up over the land so that the rain came again and produced the harvest.” James ‭5:17-18‬.‬‬ I am always inspired by this—“a man just like us.” No super saint. Just. Like. Us. ANYONE can pray. And big, public answers to his prayers came from a big, powerful God.

 So we finished our mini-church-service and cleaned up breakfast. Next, I went to the laundry area to throw a load in the washer. I opened the accordion door, and staring back at me from the shelf above the dryer was a cleaner bottle with the words “High Output Prayer.” I did a double take. Then I laughed. The “S” in “sprayer” was missing (or so it appeared with the turned bottle) so it looked like “prayer.” 🤣 But I still took it as a reminder to not forget what I just read (James wrote about that, too.) God is so personal and FUNNY—using an old spray bottle to remind me about the most important of things. So, even if you don’t think you are something spiritually special (although you actually are), what in your life needs some high output prayer sprayed over it? You never know how God might answer! 🙏🏼💛 

The Power of Prayer

I like the phrase “I believe in the power of prayer.” I really like the phrase “I believe God answers prayer.” But I’ve been thinking about these phrases, and something still seems lacking. The more I pray, the more I see prayer as a means to an end. But the end is not the answer—the getting the thing I want. Prayer is the means to the end of knowing God. Interacting with him. Getting to know his heart. Surrendering. Aligning my heart with his heart. Prayer is the conversation that never ends with the One who knows and loves me the best. Prayer is powerful because it changes me. Prayer is powerful because it connects me to a powerful God who can transform my tightly held list of desires into open hands, ready to receive what HE knows I need and what He delights to give me. Prayer is the path to peace. And God knows how much this heart so prone to fear needs peace. So He made a way through Jesus, the reconciler, for 24/7 access into the throne room of Almighty God, my Abba Father. He is always ready with open arms to receive me and lavishly pour out His love and truth. And this is why I like the phrase, “I believe in the power of prayer.”