Although I am guilty of such test I also try to spend time daily in prayer. I seek to pray continually and in all things. I feel like a prayer for lost keys, safe travels, or a good long nap for the baby are important, and that God loves to hear those. I know he does, because I like to hear what Titus has for snack, and it is just a small fairly insignificant part of his day. I am a far worse parent, and yet I love those little things.
There are those days though that life takes you to your knees again and again. Through struggles that make the hours go by slowly, patience waiver, and sanity leave you. Those days when the kids make a mess, the dog rolls in something other than roses, and every plan you make gets blown to pieces. Again I feel God hears, loves, and has compassion.
Then there are those days where your heart is heavy and your mind continues to cry out. Not in the whiney way the Isrealites tended to do in the dessert, but in that gut wrenching way. The way Jesus did in the garden, the way Abraham did as he and Isaac climbed the hill, the way Hannah did for a child, the way Mary did as Jesus died on the cross, the way Paul did for countless churches and individuals.
My heart is crying out today. Our church family has been hit hard by heart wrenching situations lately. One is a man diagnosed with brain cancer, another an older gentlemen recovering from a horrible tick illness, yet another baby girl having routine yet scary heart surgery to fix a heart valve, a women preparing for a stem cell transplant as her daughter prepares to have a baby, and a little boy with a golfball sizes tumor in his brain who is to have surgery tomorrow. One of the most encouraging things in all this is, in the depths of despair there is hope. Not just hope of earthly cures, safe surgeries, successful life prolonging procedures, or miraculous healings. We pray to and thank God for these things, but we also know that should these things not happen there is still hope. Hope in Jesus, hope for Heaven, hope to live free from sickness and pain, hope to see, hug, and love again. Hope to continue, fight, struggle, and rest. We have hope! In all the situations although tragic and scary. All believe, all consider it pure joy to continue on in the service of Christ, and yet great gain to be called Home.
Tomorrow though is a day that will be spent again and again drawing close to the Lord. Not for myself, but for friends that at time feel like family.
The Tuley's, the relief parent's at the home where I work, will watch as their grandson Josiah goes for surgery on his brain. Although there is a praise that his blood work has come back good (free from cancer I assume), there is still the huge 6 hour surgery to remove a tumor the size of a golf ball from Josiah's 10 month old brain.
If you too would be willing to cry out to God tomorrow for a half an hour you can sign up at the following site.
http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/774339648048
Prayer works, because God's Word promises he hears, and that he will work all things for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to His purpose. I know of few families who follow His calling than this one.
What's your prayer life like?
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