Prayer Links

Prayer.

What did you think of immediately upon seeing this word? For most of us it signals a crisis. When a friend shares tough news, we might say "I'll pray for you." And we should. But, at its simplest, praying equals talking. It also equals hoping, confiding, dreaming, loving, and whispering to the One who wants to hear it.

I just read a post by a parent who was sharing the prayers she lifted for her daughter as she was growing up. The mom is beginning to see the results of those prayers. Until I read this, it didn't really occur to me to be praying long-range prayers for my kids. Most of them center around a "Dear Lord, please help them stay out of trouble theme." The tyranny of the immediate seems to suck up most of my prayer time,whatever that may be.

Diligence is not my strength, but I am going to try to pray for my kids in a long-range way. Praying for my little boys to find godly wives, and for them to be godly husbands.To not feel the need to go with the crowd, but to stand out and stand for something. For my older kids to find out (quickly please!) who God wants to be in their lives. Okay, so that isn't longe range. I want that now. I would like to pray for my marriage, for God to shape it as He sees fit. To pray to know God's will for my life after the mommy years have passed. I should have a few good ones left...

Mostly, though, I would pray to see this life as a journey, and not just a series of happenings that somehow string together days into weeks into months into years. I want to always be aware that I'm not just getting through, but that everything layers onto everything else to build something lasting and beautiful.

Prayer can be the glue that links our present to our future in Christ.