Why Pray? Day 8 -- It Takes Two Feet to Walk

Welcome to Day 8 of “Why Pray?” – I am so glad we are on this journey together! If you haven’t had a chance to read Day 8 - “It Takes Two Feet to Walk” take a few minutes and do so now!

Now consider the scripture reading for the day – it seems appropriate in light of the reading.

Judges 7 “Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon ) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. ² The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ ³ Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead. ‘” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. ⁴ But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” ⁵ So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” ⁶ Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. ⁷ The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” ⁸ So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.

The illustration from “Why Pray?” about walking with two feet (one being action/work – the other prayer) is priceless!  I have spent plenty of time going in circles – one foot working really hard the other one (for me it is usually the prayer foot) not being exercised at all.   I have spent so much energy in my life trying to “make things happen” whether it be in my job, family, marriage, finances, career, church and so much of it without a great deal of prayer.  Some prayer – but many times “after the fact” prayer when I am already set and going with my “working to make it happen” foot going strong.  I think God is going to use this “walking with two feet” illustration a great deal in my life!  My hunch is the first step I need to take is prayer!  Then – as I get better at prayer/listening to Him – I will know best how to put my “work” foot into action!

That kind of ties in with the “little boy flying the kite on a windless day” word picture.  That little guy (btw I think his name is delton) is working oh so hard to keep that kite aloft.  If I will step first with my “prayer” foot everyday – then I will know which way the wind is blowing.  How the Spirit is working in my world.  So I can fly my kite in His wind.  That is some really good stuff to think about – really good!

It seems Gideon was in training like we are – learning how much can be accomplished with so little (300 dog lappers) when ever God is in charge of planning and strategy!  That is an amazing story of learning to walk with God – two foot walking!  Gideon was still involved and still did His part but God was calling the shots as Gideon talked and listened in prayer!

I have to admit – I believe the ramifications of this day’s reading in my life are going to be really profound.  I want them to be – this is good stuff.  I hope to spend the rest of the day contemplating what “two foot” walking and “wind filled kite flying” really look like in my life!  I want to learn more and grow more – I really want to get better and better at this!

What do you think?  How did you feel as you reading through Day 8?  Did the illustrations grab you? How? Your thoughts would be helpful for me and everyone else who reads so I hope you will share?

Have an awesome day of “two foot” walking!

Before you close today’s “Why Pray?” experience I encourage you to pray for the families you listed yesterday.  If you are just now hearing about this challenge the idea is to ask God to bring to mind about five families that really need His love, grace and peace.  Write the names down and pray His love and blessing over them.  Remember the “spotlight and sprinkler”! We get to watch what God does over the next several weeks in response to our prayers.  How cool is that!

 Delton

Why Pray? Day 7 - Prayer is Work

Welcome to the final day of the first week of “Why Pray?”! We are on a journey and I am so glad you are participating in this blog!  Your comments are vital!  I am looking forward to today’s conversation.

If you haven’t read Day 7 in “Why Pray?” -  take a few minutes and do that now!

Contemplate the scripture reading for the day, Matthew 5 ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

I remember as a kid getting a cheap little magnifying glass in a box of Cracker Jacks!  I had heard you could start fires with these things so I gave it a whirl.  It worked!  That magnifying glass so concentrated the heat of the sunlight shining through it that it literally started dry leaves smoldering and it wasn’t long before flames erupted.

That is one of the mental pictures I had while reading, “Prayer is Work – Day 7”.  The idea that my prayers can focus the love, grace and power of God on a particular individual, family or situation is very heartening – more than that it is exciting!  We can make a difference in the lives of the people in our world as we come along side our God “working” with Him in what He wants to do.  Prayer is work – working with God.

I have rarely heard it said that way – Prayer is Work!  But it is true so true!  It is hard, takes effort, intentionality, training and practice! Yea it is work!  Good work!  I really like the idea because it dispels the myth that prayer is just a passive, effortless, spiritual experience that really doesn’t accomplish much.  That couldn’t be farther from the truth.  Prayer is vital, important and a valuable partnering with God to bring His life giving presence into people’s lives and circumstances.  We are part of His plan to bring “light” to the world!

I am so jazzed by that reality – we all can make an eternal difference – working with the God of the universe – doing our part – working hard in prayer!  I heard a pastor in London say once, “We must do what only we can do and God will do what only God can do!”  I am beginning to understand what he meant!  I think prayer is a huge part of “what only I can do”!

What do you think?  How did you feel reading “Prayer is Work!” today?  Were you challenged, inspired, ignited?  Share your favorite quotes from today’s reading!

Before you leave this “Why Pray?” experience today let’s do a little work!  Ask God to bring to your mind several families (or households) – maybe five - who are distant from Him and need a greater sense of His presence in their lives!  They can be friends, neighbors relatives etc. Write the names down in a page of your book! If you didn’t get five don’t worry you can add to the list in days to come! Begin praying for these families right now by name for a few minutes – simply asking God to focus His light, love and grace on them today! We will be prompted to pray for these families over the weeks to come.  It will be exciting to see the way God moves as we “work” with Him lighting up the world!

 Delton

Why Pray? Day 6 - Prayer is Traveling with God

Have you had a chance to read “Why Pray?” Day 6 – Prayer is Traveling with God?  If not, please take a minute to do that and come on back. Today’s Bible passage is Psalm 8.  Part of that Psalm, specifically verses 3-5, always amaze me, humble me, and remind me that I am important to God all in just a few words:

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?  You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.”

I love to notice “little things” – things other people might overlook or not even see.  I remember so clearly a day when the Point of Grace building was being built; the parking lot had been recently finished and we were finally able to park on it.  As I was getting into my car after work one day a little bitty flower caught my eye.  No landscaping had been done yet so it was an unexpected sight.  There, at the very edge of the parking lot, almost under it in fact, was a tiny white flower all by itself in a sea of dirt and asphalt.   I wondered how something so pretty could grow in such an inhospitable environment.

Sometimes I feel like I’m a tiny little nothing in a sea of humanity…do you?  Then out of the blue, God uses a little flower to remind me that I am important to Him and I will thrive in His Presence.  He whispers, “Check out the beauty around you…I made that for you to enjoy.  I would love to be a part of your day.  How about it?”  At that point, I have a choice to make:   say no thanks and go about my business or invite Jesus to be present in my comings and goings, even the boring stuff.  How amazing is it to know that our God, the Creator of the universe, wants to go to the bank with us…or to visit with us as we fold laundry…or be part of the conversation during coffee break?  We were made for intimate connection with Him…we crave it and so does He!

This is where what I’ve always called “drive-by prayers” come into play.  Drive-by prayers are the ones prayed when there’s a sense of immediate need.  I’m just not very good at setting aside time every day to get into deep prayer and contemplation.  I try, my mind wanders off, I chastise myself for losing focus, I try again, my mind wanders…you get the picture.  I am, however, very good at praying in the moment:  I see a guy in uniform, I pray for protection for him;  I see a mom in the grocery with an unruly toddler, I pray for patience for her;  I get a text from a friend who is struggling with a decision, I pray for discernment for her.  Drive-by prayers!  Now, I do believe that God wants deep, contemplative prayer sometimes, and His patience with me as I try and try again is more blessing than I could ever deserve.   He lovingly waits as I ramble, listening all the while to my heart when my mind is lollygagging (If you’ve seen the movie “Up”, you’ve seen Doug the dog have his attention captured by a squirrel.  Yeah, that’s me).  God is just that patient – He knows our weaknesses and works with us anyway.

In “Why Pray?” John DeVries asks if “prayer is your ‘traveling companion’ relationship with God.”  I love to think of prayer that way – an “everyday talk” with my Dad!   As I travel through my day, I’m free to bring Him praise, ask Him questions, listen for His answers, tell Him I love Him, listen to Him tell me He loves me.  It’s a very ebb-and-flow kind of daily prayer.  What is your favorite way to pray?  Do you appreciate quiet time set aside each day for deep prayer or do you enjoy the “hanging with God” feel…or both??

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”     Ephesians 6: 18

Jennifer

Why Pray? Day 5 -- Prayer Is Being The Friend In The Middle

I love today’s devotion.  I’m challenged and inspired by it... but hugely convicted by it as well.  I never thought of myself as the middle man (or girl) in prayer.   Do I pray for other people and circumstances... yes....  but in reading the Luke 11: 5-13 scripture, I realize I’m rarely as bold or persistent with my prayers as the person is in the parable – knocking relentlessly at the door of his friend  in order to meet the needs of his other friend who is hungry and weary from a journey. First of all... in order to be bold and persistent, I have to really love, care about, and have compassion on those for whom I pray.  That only comes from my relationship with Jesus and the way God gives me a heart like His through prayer and connection with Him.  I can’t hope to love or have compassion for anyone without God’s heart for people beating inside me.  And I can’t possibly see the needs of those around me without God’s vision being my vision.   I just wonder how many people I’ve missed... how many needs I’ve overlooked...and how many opportunities I’ve not seen because of my lack of intimacy with the Father.   He’s the lifeline, the connection, the RESOURCE for it all.

Secondly...I think I’m not always bold or persistent in my prayers for others because I feel helpless.  Some situations seem so overwhelming and hopeless that I’m already thinking that nothing can be done as I pray... which makes my prayer just a faithless act.  I’m failing to realize that although I am unable to meet the needs of this person or friend – God IS able and His resources are unlimited!   I have to admit that the quote on page 45 of the book hit hard and made me take a look at my trust in Him:  “How often do you look away from the family quarreling down the street or the problems of your inner city because you have little confidence in your relationship with the Source of all blessing?”      OUCH!

So recognizing my need for intimacy with the Father and confidence in His resources will help me to love people he puts in my life, to have compassion on those in need, and to pray boldly for needs and circumstances that are out of my control – because I am connected to the ONE who makes all things possible, has all resources at His disposal, and hears my bold persistent pleas on behalf of others.

He calls me to do what I can to tangibly meet the needs of others...and when it’s beyond my ability to help, I can have confidence that it’s never beyond His ability, resources, or creativity to change the circumstances of those I’m praying for.

Some Questions:    Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by someone’s situation that it was hard to pray about it?  Have you ever felt like it was all up to you to help someone in need?  Have you ever forgotten how big God is and how all resources are at His disposal?    Are you in a situation right now where this hits home?   Have you seen God do a miracle in someone’s life that you were praying for....a situation that was way beyond your tangible capability to help?  (if so... share it!)

Read:  Matthew 9: 35-38.   Pray that God will use you as a friend in the middle and dream about and anticipate what He might do through your prayers! Denise

Why Pray? Day 4 -- Prayer is Depending Upon God

Welcome to Wednesday’s PoGBlog! Please read Day 4 in Why Pray,  entitled, “Prayer is Filling the Gas Tank.”

I like word pictures.  So of course I really liked the Author’s word picture in today’s entry of pushing his car past the gas station because he was too busy to stop. This really got my attention.  His comparison of Prayerless Christians pushing through life without stopping to pray “zinged” the point into my conscience and heart.  Ugh.  How many minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years even, have I foolishly grunted and groaned through life’s hills and obstacles all alone – because I was too busy to pray?  Zing!  Point taken.

Okay.  That was good.  Take time to stop and pray.  Don’t try to go through life without being yoked to Jesus.  That is like pushing my car past the gas station.  Nice.  Got it.  Done.

But then – on page 41 the author gives TEN Scripture passages to look up!  What?  TEN?  That is going to take a long time!  I am in a hurry.  Zing!  I wasn’t going to take the time to look up the passages, to see what God had to say.  Zing.

However, it is my turn to facilitate the PogBlog!  So  I felt like I probably should “bother” to look up the passages.  So I did.  I looked them up.  I wrote them down.  I was “stuck.” What do these verses have to do with the gasoline story?   The gasoline illustration was just fine the way it was.  Why these passages, too? Why so many?  What are You saying to me?  Zing.  Take time.

I stopped.  I decided it was time to get some gas.  But not in the “hurry up kind of way” that I usually stop for gas.  You know what I mean… stopping at the gas station at break-neck speed, “cramming” the credit card through the slot, punching in the zip code, shoving the handle into the tank, filling it at full speed, punching “no” to the car wash (because I don’t have time), punching  “no” to the receipt (because it takes too long), and zipping off in the car as fast as possible.

So, even though it will make my PoGBlog too long – and even though it will take a long time to type out the verses, I will write out five of the ten Scriptures for  you…just in case you are in too big of a hurry to look them up, too!  Maybe you will be inspired to look up the other five for yourself!

John 15:4  “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.”  (Hmm… I guess I need to stop for gas / prayer if I expect to remain in You, Lord, right?)

Luke 1:15  For he (John the Baptist) will be great in the sight of the Lord…he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.  (Hmm… if he had not been filled with the Holy Spirit, would he have been able to make ready a people prepared for the Lord?)

Luke 4:1  Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert.  (Hmm…did Jesus, the Son of God need to be filled with the Holy Spirit before He was tested in the wilderness for 40 days?)

Acts 4:31  After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the Word of God boldly.  (Is it because of the Holy Spirit that they were able to speak with boldness?)

Acts 13:9  Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas (a sorcerer) and said….  (So, was it because Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit that he was able to defeat the sorcerer’s cunning schemes?)

Again, what do these verses have to do with the gasoline story?  The Author says, “We are called to cooperate with the Holy Spirit…so that every aspect of our being may surrender to and be saturated with His holy presence.”  “That we are to be yoked to Him – and when that happens, His power flows into us.”  The people in these verses are “saturated” with His holy presence, and have His power flowing in them – empowering them for the work God had planned for them to do that day! Oh, how I want to be saturated with that kind of Holy Spirit presence, too!

I think I am getting the point.  I need to stop and pray, to stay connected to Him, to remain in Him, so that He can fill me with the Holy Spirit.

So today, when I Stop and Pray – it won’t be in order to just check it off my list…  “Devotion – done – check.”   “PogBlog – done – check.”  “Prayer time – done – check.”  No.  I think it means, that when I stop and pray, God will be filling me up with more than a check-mark for my list.  He is filling me up with the Holy Spirit empowering me for the road ahead.

Further Scripture for Today – Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.  Yes, Father, for this was Your good pleasure.

“All things have been committed to Me by My Father.  No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Thoughts to Ponder:

To whom or what are you really yoked for daily strength, friendship, and direction?

Are you willing to be yoked to Jesus?

dawn

Why Pray? Day 3 - Prayer is Holding Hands With God

Welcome back! If you haven't read Day 3 in "Why Pray?" Please do so now.

Today's Scripture - I Corinthians 2:11-12 "Who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us."

Honestly, when I read the title of today's section I thought something like, 'Great, I got stuck with some sappy, romantic comedy version of Christianity.'  It only took a page or so to realize there was much more depth than that (Not that romantic comedies can't be deep!!).

The idea of being made in His image really caught my attention---1 Cor 13 ends with faith, hope, and love and the greatest of these being love.  This gives us some insight into God's image and what was impressed upon the human heart.  Love is the greatest, because love is eternal.  Faith and hope were not around before creation and will go away upon Jesus' return.  Love though, love was eternal in the relationship of the Trinity and love will continue after Christ returns into eternity!

God designed us with a great need for intimacy, founded on our relationship with Him through Jesus, made possible by His Spirit.  Prayer is a part of that intimacy and expression of the relationship and it's a two-way street.

The author mentions the 1 Cor. 2:11-12 passage and how our spirit connects with God's Spirit that dwells in our heart.  This is how we walk through life---allowing His Spirit to speak to us, guide us, heal us, correct us, motivate us, send us, and to know Him more fully.

Jesus' death and resurrection restored that relationship and the ultimate intention of humanity being in relationship with our Creator.  So now, our hands/souls can be intimately connected with Him as we walk this journey of faith!!

Spend 5-10 minutes reflecting on the reading, passages, and ask God to speak to your soul.  What challenged you from the reading/passages?  Do you realize your deep need for connection with God?  What steps can you take to 'hear' Him and walk more closely with Him?

I would love to hear your feedback below...

mike

Why Pray? -- Day 2 "My Hands on His"

Welcome! If you haven't had a chance to read Day Two in "Why Pray?" -- do so. We'll wait.

Done? Good - It's a real treat to be on this journey with you!

Today's Scripture is Mark 10:13-16 -- "People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.' And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them."

When I read today's reading in "Why Pray?", I couldn't get the above photo out of my head. It's of my son in the lap of my father -- just like the boy in the book. I share this image with you in case you haven't visually experienced it - I will let you borrow mine!

I think that, as an adult, I so strongly fight a battle against just settling down. Against stopping. Against resting, even if it is in God's lap. It's tough - I mean, I have at least four separate To Do Lists to answer to each day, plus I'm supposed to complete the "extra stuff" I haven't even written down yet , and then I have all the places I need to go to but never make the time to get there, as well as all the information I need to process that keeps collecting in my head from so many sources. And it never fails that something falls apart somewhere in my life -- HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS "SETTLE DOWN AND REST IN PRAYER" THING?!?

Do you ever feel like that? I hope I'm not the only one.

Well, I can tell you that my son, as a child, is fully present in the moment while riding that tractor with my dad. I can guarantee you he is not worried about anything left undone or untouched. He is simply connecting with my Dad and loving it.

So I think that's what I need to do. I'm going to spend time in prayer, even if I have a list of things to do a mile long. I will come, knowing that all the other stuff going on won't go away, but I will no longer have to face it all by myself. I will share it all with my Heavenly Father and connect with Him in prayer.

And then He will reach out His arms for me to come and settle in for a ride. I will hand all my "stuff" over to Him, climb into His lap, put my hands on top of His, and He will take me around His Kingdom. Wow! Can you imagine what I might see on this ride! Can you imagine the conversations we can have! Can you imagine what I might learn from Him as we go!

It is from this new perspective that I will then tackle what needs to be done, or go where I need to go -- with Kingdom eyes inherited through a prayer relationship where My Father is guiding me in ways beyond anything I could fathom without Him.

How about you? I would love to have you join me in just stopping right where you are -- no need to finish anything first. Seek God in prayer - set aside all your "adultness" and seek Him as a child. Share with Him all that is going on with you. Give it all to Him. And rest.

Lisa

Why Pray? – Day One “Does it Pay to Pray?”

Welcome to this 40 day journey and thank you for being a part of this blog conversation! Enjoy your journey today!  If you have time read through the introduction material in the book.  It is helpful in understanding where the author is coming from.

Read Day One in “Why Pray?”

Today’s Scripture – Luke 10:38-42 “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

The topic for Day One in “Why Pray?” affected me at a deeper level than I thought!  I have read a lot of books on prayer and they generally start out with fairly cushy lists of the reasons we need to prayer.  “Does It Pay to Pray?” cut a little deep – struck a nerve… Why?

I have wrestled with that a bit!  I am thinking that part of the reason is because I do use the “Does it pay?” litmus test a great deal in my life.  I think it is core to our culture to be efficient, effective, look for the best ROI (Return on Investment), have the least amount of waste ,…!   These are great litmus tests for a number of things in my life but perhaps it is detrimental for me to test prayer life – or spiritual life that way!

Perhaps prayer is bigger than the question “Does it Pay?” or “Is it efficient use of time?” – Perhaps if I go down that road I will miss really what prayer is about and perhaps a whole chunk of what it means to have a relationship with God?  I wonder – How do things work in God’s economy?

What do you think?  What grabbed your attention in the “Why Pray?” reading?

How does this whole idea of “efficiency” or “Does it pay?” in respect to prayer strike you?

Let me know what you think!  I would enjoy reading your comments!

Before you close this “Why Pray?” experience for today I encourage you to take 5 minutes to be still with God.  Pray… or just sit with God for 5 inefficient minutes… whether it pays or not!  Listen – Pray- notice any obstacles or “voices like Martha’s” (Luke 10:38-42) Enjoy!

Delton

THE BOOKS ARE IN!

The Why Pray? books are in!

Beginning this Sunday, May 27, Point of Grace will be joining together to learn how to put into practice Jesus' call to pray. If you will not be at church on Sunday, please come by the church between now and Friday to pick up a copy (or two) for your family so we can all begin at the same time.

How do I participate?

1. Pick up your copy of Why Pray? on Sunday, May 27. If you won't be at Point of Grace this Sunday, you can come by the church office between now and Friday to pick up a copy.

*NOTE: If you are not local to Point of Grace, you can order a copy of Why Pray? directly from the publisher at http://www.missionindia.org/media/whypray.

2. Sign up to receive notifications of new blog posts and discussions. There are three different ways to sign up for notifications - choose one or all:

• Sign up to receive email updates for this blog via the sign up field in the column to the right of this post.
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3. Meet with God daily through the book and contribute to the discussion on each day's blog.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. Matthew 7:24

Prayer is More Than Talking – It Also Involves Listening

The 40-day prayer initiative “Why Pray” is only 3 days away! Hopefully the following testimony will excite you to join us on this adventure in prayer! Mary Ghee was a missionary in India and had served as a teacher for a year and a half when she was introduced to “Listening Prayer.” It changed her life! It started when an evangelist conducted a week of meetings in the village where she was teaching. Miracle upon miracle occurred. The Indians were puzzled, however, and wondered why there were so many miracles when the evangelist had been there only a week, and yet, there were no miracles in the year and a half that Mary had been there. So they asked her if she served the same Jesus the evangelist was talking about. Mary was troubled and sought out the evangelist.

The evangelist told Mary that the secret was “Listening Prayer.” He taught the Hindus how to turn to Jesus and ask for something specific and then wait quietly for an answer. In seeking for that answer they were asked to meditate on a passage of Scripture. As they filled their minds with God’s Word, an idea would form. They wrote it down, and then they acted upon it. God responded to their requests in utterly unexpected ways.

Mary had been fighting with her neighbor, a Christian widow with many children, and she decided to try listening to God. “How can this fight be ended?” Mary asked the Lord, and then waited for a thought to come to her mind. “Take her an egg”, was the idea Mary received, and when she had written it down, she was so embarrassed by the strangeness of the answer that she wrinkled the paper up, threw it away and went to school.

When she returned home for lunch she shooed a chicken out of her big chair and discovered an egg in the chair! With great embarrassment she took it next door, gave it to one of the children, and asked him to bring it to his mother.

Shortly after receiving the egg, the widow came to Mary’s house and asked why she had given the egg to her. Mary told her the story of “Listening Prayer”, to which the widow replied, “Mary – you know how poor I am. I gave all my food to my children this morning and then prayed all morning, ‘God if You will only give me an egg today, I can make it through.’”

You can imagine what happened – an impossible grudge was solved by a rather irrational means, resulting in an incredible new friendship!

God has plans for you as you begin your Forty-Day journey in prayer. He wants to tell you His plans. He is eager to have you discover them, because they are beyond anything you could imagine!

The Why Pray Books have arrived – pick up your copy at PoG this week, or Sunday, May 27th.

Why Pray? -- Putting it into Practice

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on a rock. -- Matthew 7:24 As a church, we have been walking through the Book of Matthew and the Sermon on the Mount and interacting with some hard discussions and difficult convictions along the way. At the closing of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus leaves us with the charge "everyone who hears these words and puts them into practice" -- where the pedal hits the metal on all we have learned, discussed and absorbed. We have heard and we now need to act.

On May 27th, we will begin a church-wide effort to do just that. We will be working through a book by John F. DeVries called Why Pray?, a 40-day book full of practical, everyday information and direction on why we pray. Each day of this journey will be accompanied with entries on this blog as Point of Grace staff and leaders work through the daily steps in their own lives and the lives of their families. We will also be acting on the readings during church services on the Sundays throughout this 40 day period.

Be on the look out this coming week for your copy of Why Pray?. Copies of the book will be available once they arrive from the publisher.