Bloganuary writing prompt

If you could un-invent something, what would it be?

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I don’t like the compartmentalization of life into the secular and the sacred. That’s what I would un-invent. If God is real then every moment of our life belongs to Him, not just an hour on Sunday morning.

I don’t have a scheduled specific time and place for prayer. I’ve tried that numerous times, yet it always seemed forced and awkward to me.

In Matthew 6:1-18 Jesus is telling people not to do “righteous acts before men to be seen by them.” The righteous acts He mentions are giving to the needy, prayer, forgiving people, and fasting. Then He says “when you pray” do it in secret, not to be noticed by people. It’s interesting that in another place, the Bible says to “pray without ceasing,” so it is important for Christ-followers to learn to pray everywhere and all the time.

The first few years after I was born again, I tried at various times to start a regular prayer routine at a specific time and place. I would kneel and began to talk to Jesus. However, after a few minutes I would find myself repeating the same prayers. My mind would get sleepy and dazed, yet I would force myself to “babble on like pagans,” thinking that the longer I prayed and the more words I said, the more likely I would be heard.

I finally gave up on having a specific prayer routine. Now I talk to Jesus and listen to Him throughout the day and night enjoying His presence. He’s my best friend! My favorite time is when I wake up. I lay in bed sensing the presence of Jesus. I listen to Him and converse with Him. Then I get up and share what I’ve heard on social media.

When people or situations come to my mind or someone tells me about a prayer request or need, at that moment, I ask Jesus to intervene and to have His will in that situation. Often my wife and I will pray out loud together in agreeing prayer several times a day. When we got married, we agreed to pray together every night when we went to bed. If we are apart, we pray by phone or another device.

When I talk with people on the phone, I frequently pray with them and for them. Often, they pray for me as well. My wife and I love to pray with other people both on the phone and in person. Either way, we open our heart to God and to whoever we are praying with or for.

As I lay in bed this morning, listening to Jesus, this is what formed in my heart:

If your relationship
With the risen Jesus
Is nonexistent,
Distant,
Or preacher dependent,
There is good news.
You can have a radiant,
Heart-to-heart,
Ongoing and intimate
Relationship with Him.
There’s no requirement
To settle for less.