The voice of God…

Have you ever felt an urge to pray for someone? Maybe someone close to you or someone you haven’t seen in a long time. Today as I was listening to KLOVE, they said the prayer focus of the day was praying for your spouse. They said think of three things that you could pray for regarding your spouse.

The first thing I thought of was the fact that Jim and I are searching for direction from God. Even though I had already prayed about it, this was the first thing to come to my mind. So I said a prayer for that we might wait on God and his guidance in our lives.

The next thing I thought of was Jim’s situation at work. His hours were cut back in November and he has only been working three days a week since then. I thought about the struggles and the blessings that have come from it. In the past nine months, our income has dropped 75%. And yet, all our bills have been paid, we have a freezer full of food and we have peace knowing God will provide. So I said a prayer of thanksgiving to God for that peace and for providing for us and for Jim as he deals with issues at work.

The third thing didn’t come to me right away. Oh, there are many things I could pray about, but nothing came to mind like the other two did. So I waited. But I didn’t have to wait long.

When Jim came home at lunch, he said he had a prayer concern for me. He had a message from someone asking for prayer for their marriage. He called and spoke with the person and let them know that we would be praying for them. So I prayed for this couple and I prayed for Jim, that he might have the words God would have him say and the discernment to know when to say them.

There are many times when a person will come to mind and I wonder why. I few years ago, I found this verse in  I Samuel 12:23:  As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you.

In John 17, we read about Jesus’, during his last hours, praying first for himself, then his friends (disciples) and then for others. We read that he prayed for God’s glory, so that he might glorify God. He prayed for his friends, that they might have God’s protection and that they might be unified, just as Christ and the Father are unified. He also asked for prayer for those who would hear the disciples preach of him and that they might believe.

Who is God calling you to pray for today? Is it yourself and issues that are causing you to be restless or anxious? Is it your family or friends that are suffering? Or is it someone that needs to hear about God and his grace…someone that God has put or will put in your life? My prayer for you is that you will hear the voice of God, calling you to prayer today.

But God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Psalm 66:19