So What's The Big Mystery?

Why do you suppose it is that so many of us think that there is an aura of mystery around the 'art' of praying? So much so that there are countless books written on the subject. Well, the truth of the matter is that while it's hard to wrap your mind around some prayers, the most effective prayers are those that come from your heart's desire to communicate directly with the God of the universe (as scary as they may seem)!

As a kid growing up the only prayers I knew were from a book and many times they were directed to intercessors rather than to God Himself. Although some people may beg to differ with me, my experience is that that kind of prayer doesn't bring with it the encouragement needed to develop an intimate relationship with Jesus. For me the bottom line seemed to be that because the prayers were from someone else's heart, they didn't penetrate mine.

Now, a lifetime later, I read for myself that Jesus not only told us how important it is to pray but He lead by example. He prayed to give thanks before feeding thousands of people with just a couple loaves of bread and few fish. He prayed when people were coming to Him with their needs. And He prayed when His heart was in agony over His upcoming separation, for the very first time ever, from His Father.

Because of Christ's sacrifice and example, I have a grand appreciation for this privileged lifeline to God . . . a truth learned through a lesson called 'The Truth Project'. In it Dr. Tackett pointed out that if in our praying we realized that we were entering into the Throne Room of the Living God and there the Father stretched out His arms to us and said "Come closer my child. Let's talk" . . . we wouldn't have a hard time praying - we'd have a hard time getting up and leaving!!!!!!!

How wonderful it is that the Lord, through the Apostle Paul, directed us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "Pray continually." In that He is simply stretching out His arms to us and saying "Come closer my child. Let's talk". Mystery solved.

Father God, when I've lost the words I need to express to You my thoughts, my concerns and my love, please search my heart and know that I want nothing more than to be a child wrapped in Your loving arms. Help each of us Father to seek Your presence as we pray to draw ever closer to You.
Amen and Amen.
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