I am reading a book called “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. In the first chapter, he encourages us to “stop praying.” I read that and thought “He must be joking” but the farther I read, the more it made sense.
What if I said, “Stop Praying”? What if I told you to stop talking at God for a while, but instead to take a long, hard look at Him before you speak another word? Solomon warned us not to rush into God’s presence with words. That’s what fools do.
And often, thats what we do.
How many times do we go through our quiet time and have a list of things that we want to happen for us today? “Lord, please help me have a great day, keep all evil away… etc.” How many times are our prayers all about us and little about the one that we are praying to?
What would happen if we came to God, silently, standing in awe of Him? What would become of our hearts if we really focused on the invisible God? What would become of our lives if we just stood, speechless before the one that gave us life? What would become of our motives if we came to Him, not asking for anything, but instead… honestly praising him for what He has already done and given us?
The Good. The Bad. The Ugly.
Sometimes as Christians, I think we get so caught up in our lives that we fail to realize that we were placed on this earth to bring Him glory. I know that is true for me and my life. I get so caught up in the here and now and all of the problems that I face, that I forget about the life after this one. I forget that He is the God of the Universe. I forget that this life is only a speck, and what is yet to come is so very beautiful and amazing…
So today, I am going to stop praying. I am going to stand in the presence of my Savior and just soak up His glory. I am going to worship Him and praise Him for ALL of the things in my life. I am going to think about the earth that we stand on, and how amazingly small I am compared to His vastness.
I am going to revel in His mercy.
Because He has been so very good to me.
O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
-Psalm 63:1-4
Beautiful, Heather!
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I LOVE this book!!
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Awesome!!! I so needed to read this today.
Great reminder Heather. Thank you!
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Psalm 63 is my absolute favorite song.
Good word today.
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Ok I want to read this book now. I tend to be the opposite, I tend to think of Him, sing to him all the livelong day, imagine how he would act in certain situations and not pray near enough, or that’s how I feel..like I am neglectful of it.
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Oh, how I needed this today! I’m so glad that you blog what God deals with you about. You have no idea how many times He has used you to prick my heart.
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I like the Lord’s prayer as the model prayer. The first few things he teaches us to do are to praise him, (our father who are in heaven hallowed be thy name) Seek his second coming (they kingdom come) seek his will(your will be done). We are to seek ‘Him’ first instead of His hands. We should love him and pray to Him in praise before praying for ‘things’ to be given to us.
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“Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10
Be Still & Know – Steven Curtis Chapman
Be still and know that he is god
Be still and know that he is holy
Be still oh restless soul of mine
Bow before the prince of peace
Let the noise and clamor cease
Be still and know that he is god
Be still and know that he is faithful
Consider all that he has done
Stand in awe and be amazed
And know that he will never change
Be still
Be still and know that he is god
Be still and know that he is god
Be still and know that he is god
Be still
Be speechless
Be still and know that he is god
Be still and know he is our father
Come rest your head upon his breast
Listen to the rhythm of
His unfailing heart of love
Beating for his little ones
Calling each of us to come
Be still
Be still
Heather,
I had to post the above song – after reading your post, that’s all that kept playing in my head. All too many times, I come to the throne full of clamor and noise, and it being all about me. You are so right, it isn’t all about me, it is all about Him. One of the things that comes back to me, is a statement your Dad made during a sermon (I don’t have the words verbatim, but the juxt of it was), “If God never did anything else for us in our lives except save us, that would be enough.” Wow. Puts things in perspective.
Thank-you for sharing this..I am so guilty of “talking” way too much! I am posting this to facebook right now….I am blessed by this song! YEARN!!!!!!! What a great discriptive word! BLESSING!
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Thank you, dear Heather. This was beautiful and a reiteration for me of a lesson I know the Lord is trying to teach me. He’s brought it to me in a number of different ways over the last 27 days or so. I am finally “getting it.” Now, I need to operate in it.
Thanks so much for the blessing today!
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Heather, thank you so much for this post today! I needed it so very desperately. Just last six days ago, we learned that my breast cancer is back–four years to the day after my original diagnosis. It’s in my spine, my sternum, my liver…we’re gearing up for a huge fight now. I’ve known the Lord all my life and am confident that He is in control, as always, but oh! how my prayers have devolved into a list of things I need Him to do, as if He were my child. Thank you for reminding me just to stand in awe of Him and let Him do or say whatever He wants, with no input from me. What peace!
That was just excellent!
God has been speaking to me recently about the need to listen. I think we think of prayer too much as us telling God what we need (as if He doesn’t know). Maybe it’s more just being still and trying to get in line with His will. But that’s harder, isn’t it? Aye, there’s the rub.
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Great post! It is a great reminder to just soak in the presence of God and who He is. Sometimes we are too busy talking that we miss what He is trying to tell us. We need to be silent more and really, really listen.
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You are a blessing!
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What a wonderful reminder, thank you!
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Hi Heather;
I think this is wisdom…I will stand with you in the second half of the day, not praying but just being. May He wash you afresh with His Love, Power and Presence and may today bring you deeper revelation of who He is and who He created YOU to be.
chose to glorify Him!
Kimmie
mama to 7
one homemade and 6 adopted
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I love his notions on what you have quoted! It’s a powerful observation I am lead to believe many miss. We are called to be still and be quiet. Even Moses himself had to be still and be quiet. Yet more times than not we simply don’t.
I remember VIVDLY a time when I had just finished dumpster diving in my own pit. By the end of the day, when all was over- not another tear could be shed, not a complaint voiced to God, not a prayer request I had not already prayed for, I was left with nothing. Nothing but to sit still and be quiet. My heart could not even utter any additional words. And that was when I heard the most beautiful musical arrangment that could only be described as sent to me by God Himself.
May your quiet time be blessed with riches beyond comprehension.
Heather, I saw this and immediately thought “hey, Heather would love this!” Enjoy
http://www.rhchurch.org/pages/cardboard-testimonies/
Hear it sung here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDyYvbkNzEA
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I also just started this book. I haven’t read very far, but I am impressed so far.