A Theme or Pattern

I don't know about you, but God seems to work in my life in themes or patterns. It's kind of like when you learn a new word, all of a sudden you hear it all the time. Right now it is prayer. I picked up a book in California The Twin Pillars of the Christian Life by Wayne and Josh Mack. I picked it up because of the authors. As I began to read, I realized it is on Prayer and Scripture reading - which as the title indicated shouldn't be separated. I am in the prayer section right now. One thought that has come through is "prayer is one of the means God has ordained to cause things to happen". God wants us to pray because He wants to use that prayer to accomplish His will. Not always easy to understand, but there is power in prayer. After I began this book, our Pastor started an evening service series at church on...prayer. Hmmm... not only that he has given us quite a few reasons to pray in the past six months. Sunday mornings we are studying Colossians, which just happens to have my favorite prayer in it (1:9-10). So the children and I have started using it as a basis for our prayers before school, we are praying for our church first, then for others, but always for God's glory. I can't think back to many trials in my childhood, but it seems my children have been exposed to them. From a friend with cancer to a Great Grandparent dying to an auto immune disease to having to patch a lazy eye. When trials come, what does God want us to do? Turn to Him. T.J. has a way of starting his prayers..."I know that you are the almighty and you can do anything". Can we change our circumstances? No, but the almighty can. Even more than being all powerful, He is ALL GOOD, so He is trustable, and He is generous. Mak has a way with his words too, and teaches me in the process. That childlike faith God tells us to have. He prays "Thank you for all that you let us borrow from you". What a reminder that this world is not ours, we are passing through. Chatham watches and listens as we pray, adding on occasion, "please make Alex better..." but He is learning, learning to trust in the One who is in control. A lesson we can all take to heart.