Just a thought by coppi

Just a thought by coppi

“Prayer is thus connected with the blessing to show us the value of it. If we had the blessings without asking for them, we should think them common things; but prayer makes our mercies more precious than diamonds. The things we ask for are precious, but we do not realize their preciousness until we have sought for them earnestly.” 

“Prayer makes the darken’d cloud withdraw;

Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;

Gives exercise to faith and love;

Brings every blessing from above.”   (Charles Spurgeon)

I have said several times before I believe when we get to heaven we will be sorry we did not pray more.  I don’t know why but it seems to always happen when I pray the phone will ring, someone rings my doorbell, my mind wonders off to mundane things that I need to do, etc etc.  I have found what I have to do is go inside my closet and shut the door to pray.  It works for me. Also,- “You may be mighty in Prayer alone, but you can be mightier with someone joining you.  The Bible says that “…one will put one thousand to flight (meaning demons), but two will put ten thousand to flight.”  [Leviticus 26:8; Deuteronomy 32:30].”  I am blessed to have several people I can call and say, “would you please pray for me or __________and then I give them the request.  I have a list of ones I am praying for and when the answer comes, I will strike off their name and add thank you Jesus.  Prayer – I need to pray more.

Today I imagined my inner self as a place crowded with pins and needles. How could I receive anyone in my prayer when there is no place for them to be free and relaxed? When I am still so full of preoccupations, jealousies, angry feelings, anyone who enters will get hurt. I had a very vivid realization that I must create some free space in my innermost self so that I may indeed invite others to enter and be healed. To pray for others means to offer others a hospitable place where I can really listen to their needs and pains. Compassion, therefore, calls for a self-scrutiny that can lead to inner gentleness.  Henri Nouwen