Prayer is the Plow
As the oldest in the family, I was the first sibling to join my dad in plowing the fields after the wheat harvest. My first tractor was a Minneapolis Moline, luxury umbrella, no cab. I spent long hours driving Molly, trailing a shrinking rectangle, trying my best to synchronize the hydraulic controls with turning a perfect corner like my dad who never left a triangle of unplowed ground. Turn after turn; it was dusty, monotonous work and I LOVED IT! Why? Because I was working with my dad!
In our spiritual journey there may be moments when we feel prayer is monotonous work, day in and day out. But what glorious monotony! We work side by side with our Father God, who can take down any wall, any mountain, any disease, any addiction, and provide an answer to our prayer in a millisecond! This is your que to shout a praise to your God, who hears your every prayer and knows the seconds between each breath you take.
I’ve realized lately that often my prayers ask for a move of God: more of His Spirit, healing for a friend, opportunities to share Christ, discipline to let go and let God . . . Have you asked the same question? Are you waiting for a “move of God”? I’m convinced the “move of God” we seek occurs first within -- within you, within me. God alerts my mind and five senses to His action when I STOP, TURN toward Him, and offer my FULL attention. Anything less -- I’m not paying attention. This means I STOP moving, I STOP trying, I STOP thinking. As I practice being with God and ministering to others, it becomes increasingly clear that the mind has a will of its own, easily separating itself from the physical self. The cerebral muscles of striving and trying, resist STOPPING . . . yet they cry for rest. I too have bought into the culture of multitasking by praying to God as I encourage family, pray for friends, send emails, exercise, write a sermon, and receive phone calls. Patiently, God is developing me in the practice of STOPPING to be with Him. Before I launch into the tasks of my day, my goal is to bring myself to God in prayer in my workspace at home and within my workspace in the office. This is CENTERING. “Rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances,” is impossible for me without STOPPING to receive from God.
Recently I ministered to someone overwhelmed with the demands of working several jobs. Previously that morning I sat at my desk and invited God into my workspace, and He then invited me into His presence with a worship song and prayer. Thirty minutes later, I was asked to minister to a friend. Because I had STOPPED everything to be with God that morning, my mind was alert to His movement and His directives. God led me through thirty minutes of various modes of intercession. Afterwards, my friend could breathe more easily and the weight pressing on her forehead was lifted. Moreover, her joy was evident throughout the entire day!
Prayer is the plow my friends. It breaks through the resistant dirt clods in our life that have weathered drought and are starved for spiritual rain. Prayer joins us with the divine, connecting us with our Father God to readjust our vision, our emotions, and bring healing to our entire self. Prayer transcends our understanding and connects us with the Presence of God.
If you would like to receive prayer or join in prayer with friends at Covenant Grove, I invite you to experience prayer with other brothers and sisters this Sunday at 6:00pm. “Where two or three are gathered in His name, I am there” (Matthew 18:20).
Praying for a move,
Serena