40 Days of Prayer

I wish I had started posting this at the beginning of Lent, but I didn't realize how it would grow, or be used in my journey, so I'm going to start now, and enter a day, or a few days' worth each day (depending on length) until I get caught up to the present day.

Some of these prayers are "rambling" and some are personal, and some parts I won't even share, but this has been an awesome experience! I hope you enjoy it, and that God speaks to you as He has to me!

Betty

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This Lent, (at least beginning on Monday, after the first Sunday of Lent) I will spend 40 days in prayer… on my knees. I have always prayed - at least as long as I can remember - I have prayed.

“Since from my days of childhood…” I have prayed. And so, what makes these coming 40 days any different? I am praying on my knees - physically.

I (I think) have always prayed “attitudinally” on my knees; “symbolically” on my knees, “spiritually” on my knees, but seldom “physically” on my knees. Oh, at times of deepest duress, I have fallen to my knees. At times of deepest pain, and suffering, and fear, and yes, even jubilation - I have gone to the floor beside my bed (isn’t that the place where one is supposed to go) and gone to my knees… and even, at times, put my face to the floor before my Father and my God.

But, it hasn’t been a “habit” of mine to pray upon my knees. I feel that I “converse” with God all through out the day - why take a separate “time” to be on my knees? I don’t know. I just know that as I did this morning, I felt this “calling” to do this, and so I will.

The following comes from those times…

March 6, 2006

As I bow, I am thankful for prayer - for this wonderful gift of prayer. I think about the people of the Bible Lord, did they pray?

Oh, I know the “heroes of the faith” prayed. I know the “greats” prayed; David, Solomon, the prophets, the priests (well, at least the “good” ones) prayed. But what about the “common man”? What about the individual that went about his daily life doing his work, caring for his family, raising children; as he made the offerings and kept the feasts, did he pray or did he rely on the Priest to do his praying for him?

Did he not feel You and want to commune with You? Oh God, how could he “not” pray?

But then again, there are an awful lot of people today who don’t pray - even “Christians”. I can’t understand it…


The Back-up Singer

My husband told me yesterday that his dream has always been to be a “back up singer.” All he wanted was to “back up” someone and sing harmony. I teased him about wanting to sing the “do-wops”, but as I think about it, singing “back up” is just what he does, and does very well. He is my greatest supporter.


Psa 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
Psa 139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

“Examine me, Almighty God, and peer into my innermost being. Judge the course I’m taking and direct me to follow Your pathway, which leads Home.”


Search me Oh Lord, and know my heart, know my motives, know my desires. Search me and show me if there is anything lacking in my walk with You, show me if there is anything impeding my walk with You. Show me any thoughts that need to be removed, show me any actions that need to be curtailed. “Show me the manner” in which I am to serve You and Your kingdom.



Remove the sin from my heart…

There are some people that, personality-wise, I just don’t like them. Is that sin? I don’t have hard feelings toward them, I just don’t like them and don’t want to be around them.

Is there a difference between disliking someone and sinning?

Show me Thy Way!