Oh wow....I just typed this entire post and then....my finger slipped and it disappeared. Let me try again!!
No perfect words are needed when we are meeting with God. I don't always pray with bent knees....No, sometimes I pray when my hands are filthy, as I'm busy potting my flowers. Sometimes I pray driving down the road...Often, I pray when I am just out walking.
I also have those moments when I am so sleepy, but yet God is speaking to me. At 2:00 A.M. my prayers sometimes do not make much sense, especially when I am... in-and-out-of-sleeping... and praying. But...They still matter and they are still heard.
Many times, this is when my prayers sound more like questions. Or sighs. Or sometimes my only word is "Lord."
No fancy words. No big endings. Just His name hanging there with me in the dark.
I don't always finish my sentences and if I'm being real honest, I sometimes wonder if God becomes disappointed with me. The truth is....God does not grade our prayers!!! 👐 I said: "God Does NOT grade our prayers!"
He is listening to our hearts no matter where we are, no matter what we are doing. He hears the tiredness in our voices and he hears the fears that we try to hide. AND...He understands the things we don't even know how to say.
God doesn't ask us to clean up our prayers and He doesn't say you need to polish up your words and tie them with a beautiful bow. He just wants us to come as we are!
Messy and real.
My point? God isn't searching for polished prayers or perfectly strung together words. He is listening for a willing heart. A heart that shows up even when it is tired. A heart that simply says, "Lord, I am here."
This week...Holy Week...reminds me just how personal that invitation is.
I am thankful for this sacred time of reflection...a time to slow down and remember that Jesus walked toward the cross knowing every detail, every pain, every weight He would carry, and He did it anyway. He did it for you and He did it for me.
He bore the cross not because He had to, but because He chose to. He stretched out His arms in love, taking on our sins, our burdens, our brokenness, so that we could walk in freedom, grace and forgiveness.
Because of His sacrifice, we don't need perfect words. We can come to Him just as we are with no rehearsing and no pretending.
This Holy week is about drawing near to the One who gave everything so we could Know Him!
* I will be gone a good portion of today. We have an appointment with the eye doctor for Sam. Hoping to get on the schedule to have his surgical procedure done.
This is a wonderful post and such a blessing that you put this into words.Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you Laura.
DeletePrayer is personal and doesn't always require spoken words.
ReplyDeleteI agree....sometimes there are no words...silent prayers....I love them.
DeleteThis is so true! Sometimes I fall asleep while praying. I heard once that it's like a child, crawling on their Daddy's lap, talking and falling asleep. Isn't that a great illustration?
ReplyDeleteMari.. This is the best illustration I've heard.. 🩷🩷
DeleteI'm so thankful that God hears our prayers even when our words are far from perfect. I find myself praying what I call "arrow prayers" all throughout the day as different people and needs come to mind. They shoot straight from my heart to God's ears. May your Holy Week be filled with blessings, Shug!
ReplyDeleteHello Dear Shug....I have read all the posts you have written, since your return from Ireland. I don't always comment, however. I hope your sweetheart's doctor's appointment goes well. I also hope you, the caretaker, are well. Your is not an easy job, as I well know. You are right that we must be in prayer in whatever state we are in. God doesn't care. He just wants us to reach out to him in both the good and bad times. May He bless your and Sam's day today. Warmly, Susan
ReplyDeleteSigh ... Just Thank You for your beautiful way of saying things that are on my heart too.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it comforting to know that we aren't Graded on our prayers. So often I find my self praying for someone or a certain situation and down the rabbit hole I go...
Then its back to business and often times sleep wins but I like that its maybe like me climbing up into my Daddy's lap and finding that sweet peace.
Continuing to pray for both you and Sam and all of the doctor appointments.
(((hugs)))
Sue
Yes! I love all of this, Shug. And sometimes we don't even need words at all. He knows everything all the time. I believe He just wants our heart, and it pleases Him when we trust Him fully.
ReplyDeleteLovely words, my friend. I pray all is going well at the eye doctor and you guys are home and snuggled in soon!
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of how the Pharisees were accused of standing out in public and just repeating the same prayers over and over, so they would appear to be holy to everyone. But God wants no vain repetition, but straight from the heart. I am encouraged by Sam's preliminary result!!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way Ginny does, prayers are meant for God, not flowery speeches that others will think sound good. or to show we are praying. He hears our thoughts before we say them and he knows what we are going to say of if we are going to pray or not pray.
ReplyDelete❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕❤️💕
ReplyDeleteYou described my prayer life, too.
ReplyDeleteI really like the way you write - it is like you are thinking through the process and writing it as you go - does that make sense? I agree. In fact, God listens to every thought we have - our minds are really always in prayer don't you think?
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful post about your prayer life. God loves to hear from us and he always answers. I pray throughout the day. Sometimes when I walk my dog I thank God for the beautiful moment. Sometimes I bless people in the neighborhood that I don't know. He loves each of us very much.
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing, your words! One of my favorite pocket prayers by Max Lucado says sometimes all you need is to cry out, "Oh, Daddy!" How unbelievably fortunate we are that He knows our needs before we can even vocalize them.
ReplyDeletePS - I, too, pray randomly ... in some of the oddest places.
Sounds about how I pray as well. Wonderful post
ReplyDeleteSuch an inspirational post and so beautifully said. Thanks Shug
ReplyDeleteI pray like you do. I pray a lot during my work in my garden.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this beautiful post.
Happy Easter!
Carla
This was a perfect post!
ReplyDeletePray without ceasing! Thank you Shug for the thoughtful post today!
ReplyDeleteLove this so much and it's so true dear Friend! I talk to Him all day long. He's probably sick of me some days. Lol I often pray as I drift off to sleep and it's probably garbled and cut off...but I saw something once that equated that with a child drifting off to sleep in your arms. And I loved that image - of the Father holding me as I drift off in prayer and thanksgiving to Him. Far from perfect - but the most sincere. ✝️
ReplyDeleteLove this post, Shug.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these thoughts with us.