James 5:13

I remember as a teenager hearing a well-known preacher telling the story of a young woman who had told him that she often didn’t feel like praying. His response was that prayer is not a glandular condition! Prayer is something that we need to do whatever our feelings. That’s precisely the point that James is making here. In short, it’s always the right time to pray – whether you are going through a good or a bad time.

God doesn’t want us simply to be people who say their prayers, and then forget about him until the next time. He wants a relationship with us, within which we share fully the ups and downs of life.

I love the fact that the Bible doesn’t present us with a line of holy people, who always got it right and who loved sharing their lives with God. The Bible is almost the opposite of that. It tells us the story of women and men who struggled and often failed. And amid it all we see how those frail and failed human beings discovered that God loved them and had a purpose for their lives.

God doesn’t want us to be religious people who say beautiful prayers and then shut him out. He longs for us to share our whole lives with him. Nothing is too small or too large to take to God in prayer. He is intimately involved in every moment and eager to share them with us. Whether we are driving the car, sitting at our desk, speaking to colleagues, chatting with neighbours, watching television, answering emails or playing sport he wants to be at the centre of our lives.

Question
What steps could you take to share more of your life with God in prayer?

Prayer
Thank you Lord that you love me so much that you want to share every aspect of life with me. Teach me more of what it means to live a life of prayer. Amen

Released on 11 Mar 2024