God is listening

"God is listening."

These three words caused me to stop and pause on page 112 of the book I was reading for my morning quiet time. The chapter I was reading was on prayer. I've read other books before on prayer and heard many sermons on the subject, too. Why did these three words seem to draw my attention so much?

I've heard many times that God hears my prayers, but reading that God is listening to my prayers struck me in a different way. I often hear my husband talking to me, but actually devoting my full attention to him and listening to each word that he is saying is totally different. (And to my shame I hear too often from him, "But, Babe, I told you yesterday that...") There is a difference.

I often wander around the house lifting up half-hearted prayers to God. "God, be with Gene today as he's at work. Help him to...." and my mind is quickly diverted to caring for a crying child or folding the pile of laundry in front of me. I tell myself that somehow God will hear all my half-hearted prayers and link them all together to create one good, impressive, long prayer. But, if I took even a second to consider that an Almighty God was sitting on His throne in heaven listening to my prayers with his full attention, I would quickly fall to my knees in embarrassment. (And realize just how NOT impressive my prayers really are.)

Here's what Elizabeth Elliot has to say about this subject in Be Still My Soul:

If quiet prayer is the foundation of my long day, the first place I go after I wake up, the first conversation in which I engage, it is going to make a difference in everything I do later. Beginning the day with prayer instills a joyful calmness in me that I can bring to the people I encounter throughout the day. (p. 80)

Christians may pray anytime and anywhere, but we cannot well do without a special time and place to be alone with God each day. Although we are often advised to pray very early in the morning, most of us find that early morning is not an easy time to pray. I wonder if there is an easy time. The simple fact is that early morning is probably the only time when we can be fairly sure of not being interrupted, unless we are mothers of small children. (p. 112)

I desire to have a "joyful calmness in me" that I can bring to my child and husband each day. So, I've decided that I need to take action. I need to get up earlier in order to serve my family better . And as far as being interrupted by my child during my early prayer time , I guess God's already been preparing me for that.

More wisdom from Elizabeth on prayer tomorrow...