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My opinion: The most stressful place on earth is the greeting card aisle.
My mission: Find the card that says just what my heart wants to say. My dilemma: I have absolutely no idea what my heart wants to say. My worst nightmare:The blank card. Dream come true: The perfect card. The perfect card: One that expresses exactly what my heart wants to say. I want to speak from the heart to God too. But finding words is not easy.
Not an issue for God. He’s quite articulate. His words convey His heart. But they not only help me know His heart. They help me know mine. And I need to know my heart if I want to express it. To God or man. So if you don't know how to pray, let God help you. He wants to. He knows us better than we do. He knows what our hearts need to pray. We often see Scripture only as a record of what God has said to man. But it's also a book of stories. Stories of real people who talked to God. And who wrote it all down! We have a record of what they said to God. Many were God’s friends. He said so Himself. They talked with God and He with them. Imagine having their personal prayer journals. Well, you do. It's like a Hallmark full of 'perfect cards'. Their words give my heart a voice. It’s also a mirror for the soul. It'll show you what you can't see about you. For example, not only does God want me to seek His face. My own heart does. Ps. 27:8 Yet I’ll look to everything else but God to satisfy my heart. I not only need His Word to know my heart. I need it to change my heart. When God tells Israel to return to Him in Hos. 14:2, He instructs them to "Take words with you and return to the Lord." What words? His. He says "Say to him, "Forgive all our sins..." He's telling them what to pray to Him. A word to men: If I don't know what to say to my wife, I must find words for my heart. And they must come from my heart if they are to touch hers. She’ll know if it's not. Even if it says what I want to say, she's looking for what I write myself. (Men: Whatever you do, do not just sign your name!) Prayer means more to God (and you) when it comes from you. Even if you identify with my ‘prayer-a-phrases’, make it yours. God loves authenticity. The prayers I post are my own. They're written to God and from me. But my aim is to help you pray. If the text inspires another prayer, pray that! Even if my prayers express how you feel, make it your own. It's from you! As with cards, my words can prime the pump but they can’t replace yours. God wants to hear what only you can say. For only you can speak for you. |
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