"To pray at all times is to live in continual God consciousness, where everything we see and experience becomes a kind of prayer, lived in deep awareness of and surrender to our heavenly Father. To obey this exhortation means that, when we are tempted, we hold the temptation before God and ask for His help. When we experience something good and beautiful, we immediately thank the Lord for it. When we see evil around us, we pray that God will make it right and be willing to be used of Him to that end. When we meet someone who does not know Christ, we pray for God to draw that person to Himself and to use us to be a faithful witness. When we encounter trouble, we turn to God as our Deliverer. In other words, our life becomes a continually ascending prayer, a perpetual communing with our heavenly Father. To pray at all times is to constantly set our minds “on things that are above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col. 3:2)."

~John MacArthur

Analysis doesn't lead to our Spirit Connection, Responding Does.

I'm reading 5 Questions by Dannah Gresh and it's building a really good foundation so far. I'm excited about what the rest of the book will bring.

This is going to be quick because I really want to get back to worshiping, but basically, I got to the chapter about spending time with God and honestly, I HATE doing that. I end up studying the bible for hours and I only like journaling if I'm compelled to write. Having to do it every day - just because it's a new day - sucks the life out of me.

But I asked God to meet with me regardless of all that. I tried focusing on responding to Him and leaving it at that. Well, about 17 minutes in I was like . . . ugh this isn't working. I was listening to worship music, but didn't feel like singing along. I was reading the Word, but it felt like I was searching the text and the commentaries for something that wasn't there for me today. It felt really fruitless. But I love music so the Rebecca St. James songs I was listening to reminded me of some of my other favorite 90's Christian bands - what's up 95.5 The Fish?! Start playing these again ; )

I started listening to Jaci Velasquez playing through songs I thought would be good for the play list and I saw "If this World" I almost didn't click on it but decided to anyway. Within minutes I was crying, full on tears running down my face. Why? I already "have" God - I know Him. This song is for those who don't, or are still considering, right? But just like that  I was brought back to the person I was before Him. That cold dark lonely place, but I'm flooded by His rushing love all over again. It's like A reminder. For some reason, I'm finding that that's what gets me - remembering where I was, who I was before Him. And then feeling the radiance of His love that ever left me - but grew stale due to my lack of attention.

At a Church I attended when I first moved to Stow, the pastor talked about the importance of setting up alters in the OT and how we still need to do that today spiritually. Because the Altars mark a meeting with God, a change in our lives. A reminder we should always come back to. I think he's totally right.

So I guess for me it's like I have to think about Him coming into my past, to connect with Him in my present. He's changed everything. I overwhelmed once again by how He loves me - and how simple He makes things.

Note to self: Morgan, stop trying to analyze and figure out - just respond. <3

MR

*SM*Everything Is Different Now*SM*