I grew up with praying parents and grandparents, so I was always aware that I could talk to God any time and any place. I remember following my Dad around the front of our church as he would prepare sermons for his congregation, and he would be praying out loud, as friend to friend with God. It is natural for my mother, too, to pray over any and every situation, from a scraped knee to a broken heart, so I am very blessed.
There is something to be said, though, for a time of set aside prayer. I am learning that although God loves to spontaneously hear from his children, he also loves it when we carve out time, just for hearing from and conversing with him. Just like any relationship, that alone time is necessary and refreshing.
I am a part of a mom’s prayer group at my church, and I am so thankful for the opportunity. Sometimes, I just pray prayers of thankfulness, but other times, my heart is heavy over a specific, pressing need. Either way, I am there for a dedicated hour, just for God. It’s a good feeling, but it’s much more than that. ”The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). God always meets me there when I made time for him.
So, as we mothers “Pour out (our) hearts like water before the face of the Lord, lifting up our hands toward Him for the lives of your children,” I know it is never a wasted effort, the laundry and dishes will still be around when we return home, and we have made an eternal deposit in heaven. It’s time to pray!
