Why must we pray?

"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard." Psalm 19:1-3

(Taken this morning from my backyard after dropping the kids off at school... a beautiful Reminder of His glory and grace)

Why must we pray? Apart from the well-known scriptural calls to prayer, there are two great human reasons why we ought to pray. The first is found in the fact that prayer is the source of power for growth and perseverance in our spiritual lives. Just as newly planted seeds need exposure to the sun in order to grow to maturity, we need exposure to the Son of Righteousness, or our growth may be stunted; we are left with pygmy souls.

The second reason is that prayer bends our wills to God's will, which is what submitting our lives is all about. I never fully understood this until I heard an explanation by E. Stanley Jones, a missionary and man of prayer: "If I throw out a boathook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God." Prayer then is not about getting God to do my bidding, but the shaping and bending of my will until it aligns with His.

- Disciplines of a Godly Woman, by Barbara Hughes

Did anyone else wake up this morning and wonder where the last month had gone? Whoever it was who said that time flies even faster when you have kids is surely right in their estimation.... I love the imagery of theologian Charles Wesley and hymn writer John Wesley's mother, who amidst a full household of kids would flip her apron over her head right there in their kitchen to go before the Lord in prayer. Oh, may I be a person of continual prayer for God's grace and for His glory.

If you would, please join me in prayer for a few particular requests...

* The adoption process of Ryan & Lisa Bond (Tony's sister)... pray for immigration paperwork to come through, smooth court date on Wednesday, continued provisions for their every need and for the glory of God to be made known in and through their process....

* Friends and Laborers in the Philippines working with disaster relief, as well as seeking justice for the oppressed (a couple by name: Nancy, Hope)... may God make their arms strong for their tasks, provide for their every need, usher healing and justice for the glory of His Name in the land

* Fusion Conference in Boston this weekend... may God grant us safety as we travel, sweet fellowship with friends, marriage retreat for us :), safety in travel for Tony's parents coming to babysit, peace and protection to our precious children as we are away a few days... AND for God's Word to be effectively communicated at the conference, for Christ Jesus to be exalted and lives to be changed for the glory of His Name