To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us.

But often, I enter my prayer time with a check list.  A time of ritual, an act of obedience that I charge through because I have other things to do.

Yesterday, October 31, marked the 492nd anniversary of Martin Luther’s posting his 95 theses to the door of Wittenberg Church (Reformation Day). This faithful man of God declared, “I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three-hours daily in prayer.”  Ouch! That hit home.  Luther was definitely more of a multi-tasker than I am, and yet I’m finding it difficult to make this a part of my daily disciplines?

This week, I was moved by the genuine simple obedience of my daughter. Jesus taught us to come like children to a Father, and she modeled that for her little sister and me.

She made up her own personal sized fruit salad, relishing in the beauty and creative colors of the various fruits.

And then she paused…right before her first bite, to thank the Master and Creator for what she was about to partake. It was just “snack time,” she really didn’t “need” to pray over her fruit, but what a joy it was to see a glimpse into her communication with the Lord.

Sometimes we make prayer too complicated. I was thankful for this small reminder by my daughter that it’s not.

Real prayer is life creating and life changing.

“Prayer-secret, fervent, believing prayer-lies at the root of all personal godliness, writes William Carey. In The Celebration of Discipline, Foster reminds us, “The closer we come to the heartbeat of God the more we see our need and the more we desire to be conformed to Christ.

Amen.

From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise…Psalm 8:1-2