Prayer
“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
It is almost impossible to go into the world and not see someone on their cell phone. People are talking in their cars (hands-free of course) while walking, and some while in movies. In this age of wireless communication, there are few barriers to connecting with someone regardless of where you are or what you are doing. Prayer has many similarities to this wireless phenomenon. We can dial up to God and talk with Him as long as we like, anytime and anywhere.
At some point, nearly everyone turns to prayer in some way. From the most devoted to the wildest prodigal, we pray. Some pray at the top of their day when they awaken, while another wait until they are on the top of a cliff, teetering on the edge. Regardless of where we are in our faith journey, God cherishes each prayer offered.
There are several styles of prayer that Christians use to engage with God and this article will address the style I refer to as WATCH & PRAY – the continual state of awareness as a watchman on the wall. The 15th – century spiritual guide, Brother Lawrence offered a unique perspective on prayer. He shared that when we look for God’s presence in the surroundings of our daily lives we will be lead to prayers of thanks, praise and wonderment. For example, when we look at those we encounter and recognize they are also created in God’s image we will be drawn to offer prayers asking for God’s mercies to draw them to the knowledge of Jesus.
“WATCH & PRAY” prayers are often short and are offered any time regardless of what we are doing. They fit beautifully into our busy lives and allow us to follow Paul’s guidance to the Ephesians church. Look around, look up, and look forward to talking with God throughout your day.