Pray Continually Day 30

I can’t believe 30 days of training ourselves to pray continually is coming to an end. As I type, I am sitting in a prayer garden with sounds of chirping birds and running water from a water feature. A fitting place to commune with God in prayer.

As I sit on this bench I picture Jesus in a different kind of prayer garden. I have the sun and beautiful flowers surrounding me. He went to His garden at night. The most distressing night of His life. He was so stressed He sweat blood as He prayed.

“And he said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’” Mark 14:36

Jesus prayed acknowledging God as able to do anything, asking what He wanted, but submitting to His Father’s will. Oh that we would pray in such a way. Our prayers might sound more like this:

God my wife is sick…I know You are able to do all things so I pray You heal her physical body. Yet I know Your ways are not my ways let Your will be done. I trust Your way is best. Amen.

God my child is rebellious and head strong. I know You are able to do all things, please keep her safe. Yet I know You have plans I cannot fathom. Draw her back to You in Your way and time. I know Your will is best and I thank You for loving my daughter more than I do. Amen.

Would this kind of prayer radically change the way we pray? For me the answer is yes. I would pray with the knowledge that God is able to do amazing things. I would also pray in the humility that God’s ways are not mine and His plans are best. This type of prayer keeps me from treating God like a vending machine–expecting Him to show-up in the only way I can imagine. God is bigger than my plans, hopes and dreams. His plans are better. Why would I limit God to only doing what I think best? I make a mess of so many things. God never makes mistakes.

Perhaps it is in submitting my will to God’s and trusting Him no matter the outcome that true communion with God occurs.

I pray this challenge encouraged you and helped you pray more continually.