Standing on my knees

I went to my knees today. It's been so long since I have prayed on my knees. I remember a time when that was a common thing for me, several times a day. I remember at times laying prostrate on our family room floor, on that old orange carpet in that old drafty house, beseeching the Lord, pleading with him, realizing my great need and His great ability, depending on that ability.

What is it that causes us to become comfortable with God? Comfort is okay...He is our Comforter. A healthy relationship grows and matures and deepens, and our relationship with God should do the same. But...God is still God. We are told to come boldly before the throne of grace, but that does not mean boldly as in telling the God of the universe what we expect Him to do for us and then walking away smugly knowing it will occur just as we have said. God is not a genie in some lantern that we just have to rub the right way, or say the right thing, or quote the right scripture. God is GOD! God is God, and God will do what God will do regardless of our opinion on what that action should be.

Similarly, God does not need us to pray. God does not need anything. He is self-sufficient. Not in the way survivalists plan for meeting their own future needs. He does not have any needs. Yet, He uses prayer to bring about what He wills.

Why?

For us, of course. We pray, and He answers. It's not like He is sitting on His throne, tapping his foot and drumming his fingers on His mighty armrest, waiting for us to finally say the right thing so He can finally perform that thing He's been waiting to do. We do not magically unleash the power of God to do our bidding because we prayed. Yet, He does wait. He does hear prayer and answers.

It is about relationship. Communication. How can you know your friend's, your family member's, your spouse's needs or wishes unless you communicate with that person? God knows what you need and wish before it ever occurs to you. So it isn't that He needs you to tell Him. It is because there is something that happens in relationships when we talk, discuss, communicate with each other.

Are you married? How long have you been married? Do you have a long-time friend that you get together with? Do you know what it is to just sort of go through the motions in life, getting things done, but not really communicating, not really relating? Have you had a relationship go stagnant?

I think that's what must have happened to me in my walk with the God of the universe, this mighty, awesome, powerful Being Who chooses to allow me to breathe each breath, Who set the stars in the heavens and made the sun and moon to alternate so that I might see those stars and be awed by His design. This mighty, incredible, majestic God also chooses to be my Friend and Savior. In tearing the veil, He allowed me access to His mighty throne. He sent us the Comforter. He lives in me. But that does not negate the awesomeness, the might, the greatness of Who He is.

Somewhere in my relating with Him, I got lazy. I've done that in my human relationships, too. But, wow, this is GOD we are talking about here.

This morning as I was waiting for the shower to warm up, I dropped to my knees as I prayed for my client that I would be seeing shortly thereafter. I prayed, "Lord I don't know what to ask for, because I don't know what will help them the most, but You do." And then I prayed in tongues, because when I don't know how to pray, that is a way the Holy Spirit can pray for me. And then I stood up and showered.

And then I got ready for my day.

And then I picked up my client and took my client to the morning's appointment.

And then I listened as the blessing was announced, that the deadline would be extended, that my client had 7 more days to accomplish what we thought had to be done today.

There was no magic in this. There was no great miraculous turning of events. Turns out that this 7 day thing is procedure. However, had we known this...had we not spent the last several days scurrying, worrying, and praying...had we not run out of time and so attended this appointment today that we expected to not need to attend, we would not be able to SEE God like we do today, now, after all that.

I am reminded of that great hymn, redone of late by the David Crowder Band, "Oh how He loves us", and I see that He does love us. I knew that. I had become so comfortable in that. And it was good to be comfortable in that. Sometimes that comfort is the only thing that keeps us moving forward. But today, I see it afresh. Oh, how He loves us. What an incredible thing that He does.

Thank You, Father, for your great love, and for helping us to stand by driving us to our knees.