I, of course, googled it and found the site that explains how it all began.
So, yesterday I decided to join in. I was five days behind, but no biggie. I decided to just catch myself up to Day 5 so that I could be on track with all the others.
When I got to Day 5, I just about dropped my phone.
My eyes teared up, my mouth opened and "oh.my.Lord" escaped my lips.
You see, all weekend, I had been feeling (and kinda ignoring) conviction from the Holy Spirit about how I spend my time. At times, I tend to look for diversions from the daily routine of momma at home. Possibly because I've lost a little of my vision (that could be a seperate post!).
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, blogs, social networking, texting, emailing, are always available to me, courtesy of my mobile device. None evil in their own right, but when combined together for hours on end while my children are fighting in the next room, well, you've heard the saying, "Boredom is the devil's playground."
Okay, back to the Holy Spirit. The phrase "pray without ceasing" had been floating about in me little head, with the strong sense that I needed to be "on guard". Definitely not in a fearful way, expecting something bad to happen, but in an attitude of prayer kinda way. "Watch, for your adversary prowls... " and "Watch, for the time is short... " and "Watch, for the days are evil... " and "Watch with Me, for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (all snatches of verses that come to mind, probably in my own translation).
Day 5 was on that very topic of prayer, hence the surprise. The surprise was followed by gratitude for My Father who knows that I love it when that happens! Confirmations and coincidences always teach me that His voice is being heard everywhere.
The interesting thing is that on Sunday, something happened that drove the message of "praying without ceasing [intermission]" straight home.
My husband headed out to the van to do what you do in a van, only, between him and his door was a dead blackbird. Okay, gross. The crows are beginning to circle above and so, he, the ever comical, tells those crows to take care of it for him.
He steps over dead bird and enters said vehicle, only to find that the van won't go in reverse, it feels like the two back wheels are locking up and this has never happened before. He finally gets the van into reverse and pulls out into the road, only to find that there was another dead blackbird at the back of where the van had been parked...
Weird coincidence? Maybe.
Evil scheme? Maybe.
I agree with the words of my husband, "I just want to be so much in His presence that those kinds of things don't even bother me."
Amen.
That, to me, is the essence, the sweet perfume locked within praying without ceasing... being nearer.
Let us pray just like breathing.
And get a daily dose of the truth.
The truth for me this week, comes from Psalm 34:4-7
"4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel[a] of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them."
I will stand upon it.
~ christa jean
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