PRAYERS

In our times there is so much need and sadness.  When there is hope there is faith, where there is faith there is hope. 

Prayer gives you the chance to practice the belief that God exist in this world and that we are not on some random path.  There is order to this world and although we may not enjoy being on the path we are currently on, we do not walk that path alone.

Prayer.  Wikipedia states Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional connection to a god or spirit through deliberate practice.  I have some issues with the definition.  Although, it can be noted as “deliberate” because there is an intent, prayer also becomes part of the fabric of who you are.  Sometimes I have simplified it by calling it a Holy Habit.  Very often I will just say is me having a dialog and kinship with God the Father.

It has long become a part of who I am.  I have people come up to me and say they don’t know how to pray.  I am sometimes sadden by that.  How far away do they feel Jesus is?  Is He not sitting beside me in my grief?  Walking me along a difficult path?  I could not go a day without that dialog than breathe.  Is that prayer?  You bet’cha.

Those fellows who know oh so much more than I have broken down prayers in “parts”.  I have decided to list some and have put a more “Ginny” slant to them.  To make them more like my own intention.

This may help someone who wonders where to begin, and how to continue to pray, or dialog with God and our Savior.

Prayers of Petition:  Asking.  Often I am asking for patience or even sometimes hope.  I am personally the one in need.  I need you God right now to help me.  Sustain me through these difficult times I am in.  We are acknowledging that God 1. Listens  2.  Hears.  You may have noted that I didn’t list “Answer” because I truly believe sometimes that is subjective.  What my answer may be may not be what I need.  I may get another answer, one I may not like as much, nonetheless the one I am intended too have and one that will take me to a place of learning and grace.  Asking God for something can be difficult.  I have heard more than once that “God knows what I need”, which is very true.  But, God desires a relationship with me.  There is also the underlying truth that if we first don’t acknowledge that God is in power, we may not also acknowledge that God is the giver.

Prayer of Confession:  In the Catholic church I was brought up to confess to a priest.  There is some biblical proof for this stance.  On the other hand there are other denominations that leave confession between you and God alone.  The latter is a whole lot easier, that is IF we do it.  Asking for forgiveness is often not in one’s favorite things, neither is it pleasant.  I believe it shouldn’t be either.  The goal is forgiveness.  I know one of the hardest things for me is to forgive myself.  It takes a deep abiding believe that God hears and listens to be assured that he has forgiven me.  To feel the cleansing of the prayer of confession may take many years, or even a lifetime.  Meanwhile, God has heard and forgiven, now if we would just forgive ourselves.  I remind myself that God knows my heart.  If I confess I must confess with a heart bearing all.  To be contrite and penitent.  I go not intending on making the same mistake again.  At least we try.  But, as I say God knows our heart but, he also knows our weaknesses.


Prayers of Adoration:  Oh how often do you say you love God to HIM?  Do you thank him for the clouds you saw today and acknowledge that they come from Him.  Even in the times more dire do we praise Jesus for his sacrifice.  A sacrifice that is so much more than we can repay?  How humble are you to God.  When you have a friend you thank, you thank them for what they do, say or how they have loved you.  Jesus Christ did this and so much more.  How about remembering?  In the good times and bad “Come let us adore him”


Prayers of Intercession:  A prayer on behalf of others.  In my church we have a prayer list that I call “prayer warriors”.  We pray for those who’s needs are brought forward.  We sometimes do not know what the need even is, only that there is one.  To pray for the ones you do not know is almost more important.  The bible says that it is easy to love the lovable,but prayer is even more important to those we don’t know or even those we find unlovable. Prayers of intercession can change our hardened heart as well.  Take it from one who knows.  Prayers of intercession are powerful and can gather those in a powerful voice.  Those who cannot pray for themselves depend upon people like you and I.  I fully believe prayers by others for others surrounds the one prayed for in a bubble of love.  Feeling the love through prayer is like no other feeling.  The closest I can describe it is like being held in God’s hands like a child.  You feel protected, loved and assured.  Even if things are dire, you are loved all the way to the end of what ever is going to happen.

There are other “prayers” but these are a few.  Pray for the Glory of Him, Pray for Others, Pray for yourself.   Be humble before God, be thankful before God.  Love one another and pray for each other.


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"Strange Way To Save The World"

It came upon me how God uses the unlikely. 

Through the years I have been blessed to find my calling in life through various works, with the calling of the Holy Spirit.  But, how does one find that out about themselves.  How do they individually fulfill God’s plan?

In a time of oppression and suffering His people called upon Him to send not just a messenger nor prophet, they called and ached for a Messiah, a Christ.  Even with their tears and prayers they could not have imagined how God would bless the world with His only Son.  His people looked to an Earthly king, a man of war, a great warrior.  Instead they got a man of peace and prayer.  They, a prayerful people, didn’t get what they expected. 

Mean time they went along.  I can’t imagine how they felt, longing for a savior who was promised but had not come.  Did they feel lost?  Deserted?  Defeated?  I suppose like people today, they may have.  But hope abided.  They knew they had an awesome God, But I would guess they didn’t know that they had a God who’s plan included a baby.

This song tells of Joseph looking inward and wondering.....  He had encounters with angels and took a wife that others may have let be stoned.  He was a man  of compassion and understanding.  He was a forgiving man.  He initially had no knowledge of Mary and her story.  Yet he looked to her with a compassion, truly God given.  How confused he must of felt.  Unworthy, certainly; confused definitely.

As he went along his life it became clear his life was so much more than he ever knew.  I have often told people that they are often unaware of their gifts given in God’s love or the fact that has a mission and a plan for their lives.  So many people think they are just “living”. To some extent that is true, we all feel that.  But we are of great sacred worth and value to God, as much as Joseph and Mary.  They were ordinary people, living a life of spiritual hope and Godly love.  Yet God has chosen you as much as he has chosen them.

Where you do not physically have His Son, you walk for His Son.  You are the manifestation of The One who loves you more than you love yourself.

Yes, indeed God did choose a “Strange Way to Save the World”.  He chose the most humanly understandable way there was.  A child is born helpless and requires love and tenderness to grow.  A child needs to be nurtured and guided.  Jesus had His Father in Heaven and his earthly parents.  God gives us children in confirmation of a lingering hope for mankind.  God trust us to show them the way as he showed His own Son.

How ordinary.  A birth of a child. 

I know of a gal who is pregnant with her fifth child.  She is a Godly woman who raises Godly children.  I can see in the eyes of her children the promise of so much.  That they will one day rule this nation, and care for those like me.  This isn’t easy always, but it certainly is Godly.

What will your children grow to be?  What will your grandchildren, nieces and nephews be?  Ordinary maybe, but in many ways so was Jesus.  He was fully man, like our children.  He carried the same emotions and trials that children often do.  It may be hard to put Jesus in that picture.  But, think of it.  A mom, dad and child doing the best they can.  Living each day in worship with God, surprised by their callings, open to His leadings.

Yes, it was strange.  For a people who wanted a warrior king, they got a Prince of Peace.  His power continues to unfold each and every day.  Not by the sword, but by the love.  How were they to know that a babe born in Bethlehem could save the world from itself?

I sing praises of glory that He did.


This song is sung by 4Him and is on the WOW Christmas CD


"Strange Way To Save The World"

Sure he must have been surprised
At where this road had taken him
'Cause never in a million lives
Would he had dreamed of Bethlehem
And standing at the manger
He saw with his own eyes
The message from the angel come to life
And Joseph said...

Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade
Why Him, with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside a stable filled with hay
Why her, she's just an ordinary girl
Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world

To think of how it could have been
If Jesus had come as He deserved
There would have been no Bethlehem
No lowly shepherds at His birth
But Joseph knew the reason
The love had to reach so far
And as he held the Savior in his arms
He must have thought.

Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade
Why Him, with all the rulers in the world
Why here inside a stable filled with hay
Why her, she's just an ordinary girl
Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world


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A Strange Way to Save the World
4Him
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