Thursday, August 3, 2017

Magical, Mysterious, Miraculous Prayer

Have you ever felt that your life mirrored the spin cycle of a washing machine? Everything has been thrown in and now it's all spinning at the same time? It seems out of control, this spinning, but it's not, because the spinning is for a purpose and the spinning ends, but you don't often know when your spin cycle will end.




Wedding     Surgery     Paperwork     Travel
     Moving     Packing     Merging of families
              Post Surgery Recovery
       Spin Cycle

The best thing to combat the Spin Cycle is to be prayed for and to pray. One of the first instances of actual interceding for someone on their behalf, where the word pray is actually used happens in the Old Testament in 1 Samuel 7:5 where Samuel prays for the Israelites. The Israelites recognized that they were in their own spin cycle - they thought the Lord had abandoned them, which is quite literally how we feel when it seems like everything is thrown at us and we're out of control. Samuel gave them some instructions: "get rid of your foreign gods and your images of Ashtoreth. Turn your hearts to the Lord and obey him alone; then he will rescue you from the Philistines." During the spin cycles of life, we become distracted and our focus shifts from the One who matters. So the Israelites did so and worshipped only the LordThen Samuel told them, “Gather all of Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”

The Israelites recognized their need, they changed their ways and Samuel prayed. Once Samuel prayed, the Israelites went on to victory. Prior to Samuel praying they had misplaced confidence but after he prayed, though uncertain, their faith was strengthened and they had success.

Pray is magical, mysterious and miraculous; it is healing, encouraging and an act of love to hear someone petition God on your behalf. It will remove anxiety; it will remind you to be still and propel you to pray. To intercede in prayer means to go before God on another’s behalf.

Lamentations 2:19 encourages us to, "Lift up your hands to Him for the lives of your children." So as the wedding approaches and there's standard pre-wedding jitters and stress in addition to dealing with a major health crisis, I took my daughter aside and prayed aloud for her. If I were focused on her demeanor during prayer, I'm certain I would have noticed relief, surprise, comfort, relaxation which encapsulates what happens when we are bold enough to pray for someone audibly in their time of need.

Sometimes it does not matter what you say - just the very fact that you are praying makes all the difference in the world. You experience a selfless love when you pray. Praying demonstrates a relationship - definitely between you and God, and between you and the person you are praying for. Praying demonstrates hope and faith. Praying says I know Someone who can help. Praying provides wisdom, guidance, and peace.

Prayer is as vital as breathing; I encourage you to do it. Pray from the heart when you're happy or sad; mad or glad. Don't worry what others think, it's your heart and it matters to God. There is absolutely nothing that you cannot bring in prayer to God. Just Pray.

Spin cycles come to an end and usually after all of that turbulence your clothes are clean. In the same vein, I know, just like any bride knows that the spin cycle of wedding planning will come to an end and with God's covering it will be the start of a new thing that God is doing in both of their lives, propelling them on to victory.
For we are not presenting our petitions before You based on our righteous acts, but based on Your abundant compassion. Daniel 9:18,19



We don’t know what to do, so we’re looking to you. 2 Chronicles 20:12


Men ought always to pray and not to faint.  Luke 18:1


If you can center yourself, be still, pray and be prayed for, you'll be able to go through your spin cycle and come out standing. Simply pray.


--Nylse

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8 comments:

  1. Hi Nylse! Thanks for sharing this wonderful post on Prayer. I am blessed to stop by your blog. I am your neighbor at # Heart encouragement link up. Blessings to you!

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  2. Your words rang true! There are many days my life seems like it is on the spin cycle and I wait anxiously for the cycle to end! Thankful for God's words and His promises to guide me and offer me hope and comfort in the trying times. Thank you for sharing your heart!

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  3. simply pray. I know. but I always (always) need the reminder. great post, Nylse.

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  4. I like that ... "the spin cycle"! I feel like I'm there right now, but I know it's causing me to pray more!

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  5. Thank you for sharing on www.mom-gene.com ...these Sunday Thoughts are my favorite. I've been in the spin cycle at various times (especially with little ones). Thanks for the reminder that God is in control.

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  6. I agree the best way to go through a spin cycle is by praying. I find prayer and the Word of God also give me something steady to cling onto when my life is spinning out of my control.

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  7. Jesus taught us to pray...a gift we must surely no neglect. There are so many times in our daily lives when prayer is the answer. I thank you for giving me a picture of the spin-cycle for I can totally understand that feeling. I lift my hands unto the Lord. So thankful that I came by.

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  8. Prayer is so powerful! Thank you for the reminder. We all need to be praying for others and allowing people in to pray for us.

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