Devote Yourselves to Prayer

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:2-6, NIV)


REFLECTIONS:
Imagine you’re a detective (think the black and white film, mysterious, 1940’s type) and you’re on the case to solve the mysterious disappearance of the largest diamond in the world.  You know the objective... find the diamond.  But every place you look turns up void.  You’ve had some hopeful breaks in the case, bringing you one step closer, only to find... no diamond.  You’ve hit a dead end.  In some ways I feel like that detective concerning verses 5-6.  I know the objective... be wise in the way I act... make the most of every opportunity... be full of grace in conversations... be ready to respond like Christ in every situation.  But when I try to do these things, I find myself coming up short.  I have some breakthrough moments every now and then when my conversations are pretty “seasoned,” only to find my next conversation to be salty (and not the “salt of the earth” kind).  I’ve hit a dead end.

Ok, back to being a detective.  You’re at the dead end.  It seems as though you’ll never find the diamond.  Then suddenly, a memory flashes in your mind... (Cue movie montage)... How could you have missed it!  Of course!  It all makes sense now!  You remember back to the very beginning of the case, a clue so inconspicuous you didn’t even consider it important the first time you saw it, and it cracks open the whole case!  You did it!  Diamond found.  Mystery solved.  (Now, bear with the close of the ridiculous analogy.)  So here I am... at the dead end of trying to be an opportunity seizing, grace filled, salty (in a “non-pirate-y” way) Jesus follower.  It seems as though I will never know how to do it.  When suddenly, a memory flashes into my mind.  Of course!  A verse read at the very beginning, so inconspicuous I barely even considered it... Verse 2... “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”  It’s the clue that cracks open the mystery of walking out verses 5-6...

Prayer.  

What?!  Prayer?!

Yes... Prayer.

And not just a few toss up sentence prayers asking for people’s hands to be blessed for preparing my food, but PRAYER.  Communion with the Creator of the universe. Conversation with the Living God about important things on my mind and His.  The place of prayer (talking to God and listening to Him) is where the soil of our heart is tilled, allowing fruit to be borne.  It was a common practice of Jesus retreat away simply to pray, which made Him ready to respond to every person that came His way... And if Jesus needed to do that, I most definitely do to.


POINT OF ACTION:
Set aside 10 minutes today to talk with God.  I often follow this acronym to help keep my mind from wandering when I pray... T.A.C.I.S. 

T- Thanksgiving... Thank God for everything you can possibly think of.

A - Adoration... Tell God who He is to you. Allow adoration and worship to overflow out of you for who He is.

C - Confession... Lay it all out and let go of any unconfessed sin and let unbridled forgiveness take its place.

I - Intercession... Pray for others. Ask God what’s on His mind for the people around you and the world and pray for that.

S - Supplication... Ask Him for the things you need and want in your life.

 

PRAYER:
Jesus, teach us how to be people of prayer... that out of the overflow of communing with you, we would be wise in our actions, making the most of every opportunity, and be full of ‘salt’ and grace in every conversation.


WHO AM I?
My name is Hailey and when I have free time, I’m engaged in a variety of different activities including (but not limited to): backyard baseball, picnic-ing, movie watching, movie critiquing, coffee drinking, food eating, guitar picking, party hosting, craft making, picture taking, book reading, costume wearing, interpretive dancing, napping in the grass, hiking, playing pranks, blog surfing, moped riding, sun tanning, and wrestling with my little brother.