Discipline

1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

This verse really reminds me to be mindful with my prayers. Because often enough I forget that when I pray, God actually listens. This is convicting for me. How often to I pray without purpose or intention or for the wrong motives? Even at meal times, I say “Bless this food to our bodies” but do I even know what that means? I often pray for Him to “just meet me where I am” and then I forget and He’s here and my mind is nowhere present to meet Him. “We pray a hedge of protection around them” is one I hear often. What does that even mean? Why a hedge? God has really convicted me and asked me to be intentional and mindful with my prayer. To be personal with my prayer, my relationship with God is personal, so should my prayers be.  Be aware that when I pray to the Lord, I’m lifting those prayers and requests up to the Creator of the Universe and life itself.  God takes my prayers seriously and so should I. It’s important that I’m serious with prayer, with the word, and with my faith itself.  Because the end is near and the days are evil and deceiving. I don’t know how long I have left on this earth, so I must be intentional with prayer and treat it preciously.  God has really revealed to me that He doesn’t want “Christianese” prayers. He doesn’t desire for me to pray without putting value in my words and having an honest heart behind them. And the christianese phrases themselves aren’t necessarily bad, but it’s important that when I say them, that I understand the meaning behind them and to be personal when I say them.  I also mustn’t forget to praise Him when He does answer prayers with a yes.  Overall, be personal, serious, sober-minded, intentional and real with myself and God when I pray.

Application:  Pray with intention today and find out what at least one of these Christianese phrases means.