Day 8 - A Week With Prayer

I can't tell you how many times I have seen the following scenario.  Your in a restaurant and you see another couple at a table across from you.  It's apparent they are married and most likely have snuck away from the kids for a while.  Yea, I know it's nosy, but you keep watching them from the corner of your eye and they say maybe two words to each other the entire meal.  It's not like they are mad at each other, but you can tell its awkward for them to look each other in the eyes and have a conversation.  Maybe you've never noticed this, but when I do it hurts my heart.  Two people who probably love each other to death who can't even carry a conversation when they are eye to eye.  The reason for this is a very simple.  They don't make it a regular habit to sit and talk and communicate.  The problem is similar to the discussion from yesterday based on the fact that we live super busy lives.  It seems like our days are filled with talking on the phone, texting, helping the kids, in business meeting and the such.  Many times by the end of the day Becky and I sit in a worn our stupor watching TV after the kids are in bed because we are so worn out.  So, over time it is possible to even grow apart as we forget to communicate with the ones we love.

Imagine what God feels like when we don't talk to Him.  What might He think as we lay our heads down at night and not one thought had crossed our minds of Him that day?  Now when you think of it that way, it's not unlike the relationship we have with the ones we love.  Our relationships will not and cannot grow if were not talking and learning new things about each other.  Bill Bright puts it this way, "We pray to have fellowship with God, receive spiritual nurture and strength to live a victorious life, and maintain boldness for a vital witness for Christ."  The fact is, if were not praying (communicating with God) its hard to believe we have any fellowship with him.  The one word that comes to my mind when I hear fellowship is companionship.  Have you ever had a companion, buddy, pal or bff?  I'm not making light of the majesty and holiness of God, but the fact is that He wants to be our friend.  We see in James 2:23 and Job 29:4 the God is actually called Abraham and Job's friend.

Did you have that friend as a kid like I did that you were connected at the hip with?  Yea, well I did and it didn't matter where one of us was the other was nearby.  We went out everyday and rode bikes, explored and most times found ourselves in some sort of trouble by days end.  If we would begin to view God as that friend and as soon as our feet hit the floor in the morning all our thoughts are on spending that day with Him.  The verse that states we are to "Pray continually" (I Thess. 5:17) really is a command to spend the entire day with our best friend.  It doesn't mean that we walk around mumbling something 24 hours a day, but to live in a constant fellowship with the Lord.  It is an act of walking in companionship with the Lord every moment of our lives.  We are actually even commanded to do this (Luke 18:1; Acts 6:4; Mark 14:38; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1 Timothy 2:1,2).

So, if someone is watching your table what do they see as you and God sit across from each other?  Do they see an awkward moment or do they notice a special kinship because you truly know one another?  I hope this encourages you to change your mindset of prayer and it finds you walking in the presence and companionship of Christ today.