Day 14 - Pray

 

Almost every day now, it seems that I hear of someone being faced with incredible struggles; struggles of sickness, death, divorce, or miscarriage.  These are not just stories on the news.  They are real people that I speak with face to face.  Life can really hit hard sometimes and we don’t understand why.  

“Life is battle and the weak and the weary have this weapon: The Joy of the Lord is my Strength.  The joy of the Lord is not mere sentiment; the joy of the Lord is the muscle that keeps you standing.” – Ann Voskamp  

Ephesisans 6:13-18 reminds us:

“13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

This is a passage that many of us know well and have heard since Sunday School, but do we really mean it?  Do we really spend time in His Word, the only weapon of offense we have in this battle of life?  Do we do as the last verse says and pray in the Spirit on ALL occasions with ALL kinds of prayers and requests?  I don’t.

As I’m reading the book What Happens When Women Pray by Evelyn Christenson, I have become more and more convicted to pray.  Churches are struggling, marriages are hurting, and children are wandering farther and farther from the truth.  What can we do?  Pray.