prayer

A Prayer and a Hug

Carol Purves Carol's Blog , ,

While serving on the hospital chaplaincy welcome table I sometimes wonder if I’m’ much help for the Kingdom. Then this week I met a young lady whose sister had been taken seriously ill. She was devastated and what she wanted was a prayer and a hug.

I believe everyone has a God-shaped hole in their heart. When the ‘chips are down’ even if they’re unbelievers they are drawn to God and prayer. They don’t know how to say a prayer and feel it has more power if someone says it for them.

When there is a national tragedy it is acceptable and welcome for a minister to say a prayer. People who never darken the doors of a church will yearn for God too be contacted. on their behalf.

When I feel like it.

Carol Purves Carol's Blog

‘I only read when I feel like it or when I have the opportunity. They don’t often happen together. ‘

These words were overheard words from a teenager. Is this like our prayer life. We only prayer when we feel like it. We only pray when we have the time. Do these things ever happen together? The devil will make sure they rarely happen at the same time. We need to prayer through our feelings. If it becomes a habit, it will grow into a great longing. We need to pray especially when we don’t feel like. God is waiting to hear from us.

It needs to become a habit , feelings are only one aspect of prayer. In this busy world, when is there time to pray? Prayer needs to be a welcome habit, morning or evening or whenever. Set in stone, not to be missed. Prayer is vital to our Christian lives. Arrow prayers can be sent at any time. The rewards will be immense. We mustn’t let the world shut out prayer.

Dear God

Carol Purves Carol's Blog

Working on the welcome table for the hospital chaplaincy team I’m there for whatever is needed. The other day three young ladies approached me in a tearful state. They told me that their mother was in ITU. They wanted to write a prayer to God but didn’t know how to begin. I suggested that ‘Dear God’ might be a good way. As one lady started to write I explained to the others they could say another prayer in the quietness of their own home. I told them that God loved them and wanted to hear from them. There was no reply but I do believe they listened.

I was such a privilege to be able to share God’s love with them.

Opposition

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

How do we respond to opposition? It’s something we will come up against, especially if we’re Christians. Does opposition mean we should give up our beliefs? Surely not. We need to decide when we should stand up and fight and when should we keep silent. What compels us to continue in the face of aggression?

A number of questions here, but probably one basic answer. It is our mission towards Jesus which is important, not us. It shouldn’t be a matter of proving we’re right, or beating our accusers into submission. The work of Jesus is all that matters, whether we speak up, keep silent or stand on our rights. Paul always had the interests of his Saviour at heart.

Pray Without Ceasing

Carol Purves Carol's Blog

In 1 Thessalonians 5 we are exhorted to ‘pray continually.’ How can we do that is in this frantically busy world? Paul who wrote these words must have had a slower pace of life! But what I believe is that we need to have an attitude of prayer. We need to be only a breath away from uttering another prayer. We can have a structured time of prayer, morning and or evening, when we might use Bible notes as we read the Bible. As soon as we wake in the morning we can give thanks for a night’s sleep. We can give thanks for the promise of a new day.

Leaving home we should pray for our neighbours, travelling we might pray for fellow commuters. Hearing a police car or ambulance we can pray for those involved. Those we know who have problems can feature in our prayers during the day and there are many situations that can demand instant arrow prayers.

That’s praying continually.