Why I Pray!

 The early mornings are the best.  As I opened up my eyes, I looked at the clock and it read 5:45 am.  It was still dark and I could feel the cool breeze as it came through the window.   I pulled the blanket up to my throat and laid there praying for family and friends. 

I stumbled into the kitchen to turn on the coffee.  As I looked through our huge picture window, I could see lights coming on across the wetlands.  Others were gradually beginning their day.  The aroma of the coffee began to wake me.  I poured some coffee into my mug and added a bit of half n'half and sipped on it very slowly as my brain began to wake up.

I wanted to begin the day sitting in my rocker and looking out into the new day.  The window faces west, so I could see the reflection of the sun rising.  The salmon, orange colors glowed in my neighbor's windows.

I gathered my various devotional books and my bible and I began to read.  The last few days I have been thinking about what someone had said about "why do people pray, if God already knows?"  That is such a great question.

I believe that God knows all things, but I don't know all things.  When I take time "to be still and to listen to Him", I begin to feel the Spirit that is within me.  By taking time to pray and to talk with God, a peace comes over me to let me know that everything will work out the way it is suppose to. 

Praying is as if you are getting a glimpse into who God is.  Such as when I watch a sunrise or sunset, I feel that I am seeing God and He is with me.

Praying gives me a calmness to understand what He is doing.  My eyes are opened and hopefully the eyes of whoever I am praying for will be opened as well.  To understand that the Lord will guide and direct each person through their situation(s) or give them the wisdom for decisions that need to be made.

God's glory will be seen as it is seen in His creation.  

Psalms 19:2-4 says, "Each day announces it to the following day; each night repeats it to the next.  No speech or words are used , no sound is heard; yet their voice goes out to all the world and is heard to the ends of the earth."

Just as each day there will be a sunrise and a sunset, there will always be His Spirit.  My prayers will help me to grow closer to Him and to know that whatever or whoever I am praying for is actually being used so that I can grow closer to Him.  

Praying is as if you are looking at God's creation.  He created all things and He knows all things.  The beauty around me is not an accident.  His prayers are not by accident.  

By praying or talking to God, I begin to reflect on what needs to change within myself.  Through prayer, He refreshes my soul, He gives me wisdom and He opens my eyes to see.

If you have never prayed, then stop and be still and talk to God as if He is standing right there in front of you.  I know you can't see Him, but you can feel His spirit.  Praying will change your heart and your outlook on life.

"I pray for you constantly, asking God...to give you spiritual wisdom...I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power."  Ephesians 1:16-17, 19