Thursday night's show was about partnered prayer - praying WITH someone else - to God. This could be a spouse, a friend, or even a stranger As it turned out, the show I was listening to seemed targeted directly at me . . . and my wife.
How I long to pray with my wife. We have only prayed together once - during the complicated birth of our grandson. We had never prayed before that and we haven't prayed since. In 37 years of marriage we have only prayed once.
I have a prayer partner at work. We pray daily. We pray for our spouses, hoping that one day we might be praying with them instead . . . or in addition to. In the case of me and my wife praying, I was thinking it would again take something critical before we ever prayed together again.
Oh, the provisions of God!
Upon my arrival home, Janet's show still weighing on my heart, I asked my wife how her day went. Her day had not gone well. I sat to her listening to her tell me about something disturbing thing that had just happened. She was very upset and frustrated by it.
"Thank you, Lord, for giving me eyes to see," I said to myself, as God presented me with an opportunity to pray with my wife. I smiled briefly, recognizing the gift.
"Would you like to pray about it?" I asked, as she finished her venting.
"No. That's something I like to do by myself."
That was that. The rest of the evening went by, us going our separate things - she baking cookies for our grandson, me reading my Bible in the other room. And at one point she told me, "I'm going to bed."
"Okay," I replied. Another opportunity lost. Perhaps she is going to bed early to pray. That would be good.
As she left the room I continued to read. Let's see . . . where was I? Proverbs 22 . . . Sayings Of The Wise . . . see if this speaks to you as it did to me Thursday night.
"Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge; 18 For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them (the words of the wise) all be fixed upon your lips, 19 So that your trust may be in the Lord; I have instructed you today, even you. 20 Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge, 21 That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth, That you may answer words of truth to those who send to you?" - Proverbs 22:1-2
"I have instructed you today."
I closed my Bible, got up out of my comfortable chair. It was comfortable no more. Opening the bedroom door, I knelt by the bedside the bed and I prayed with my wife. I kissed her good night and return to reading.
The following morning I got up and left for work, not knowing the results of what God had caused me to do . . . what He had caused to happen in my wife's heart. But I know this. There was a tremendous joy in praying with my wife. God had caused me to take a step outside my comfort zone and into the realm of the unknown . . . where Jesus is. I encourage you, my friends, to do the same thing in ALL your relationships. Trust in God. Healing broken relationships is HIS thing. But let US pray. Let us praise! And let us NOT be afraid to pray. :)
The Power of Partnered Prayer - In The Market
Voice of Truth - Casting Crowns
Voice of Truth - Story Behind The Song
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