I was driving home from my bible study the other day and a sweet memory came to me. When Big Chick was just a baby, Honey and I used to sing to her every night before bed. It was our prayer. We'd cradle her in our arms and gently sing these two songs...Jesus, Jesus, Lord to me.
Master, Savior, Prince of Peace.
Ruler of my heart today.
Jesus Lord to me.
Because He lives...I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives... all fear is gone,
and I know I know He holds the future.
Life is worth the living just because He lives.
It was the perfect wrap up to the day. In one song we told the Lord what He meant to us and in the next we reflected on why we felt that way. I think a prayer doesn't always have to be a "prayer". Singing a song or reciting a special passage of the bible is just as intimate. I know a lot of the time I repeat myself or just don't know how to pray. He was reminding me that drawing near to Him can be as simple as singing a song from the heart. Do you ever struggle with prayer?
Have a blessed day.
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Music is my prayer on so many days. I'm so thankful to God for the gift of music. My prayer this week has been these lyrics:
ReplyDeletekeep my heart amazed, let me see Your wonders every day, teach me in Your ways so that i may fear...YOU are the maker of heaven, YOU turn my world around, YOU're making ALL things new again, through it all i know, YOU are God alone.
:)
Sometimes...but when I feel that my prayers are too much the same, even though they are the desires of my heart, It helps me to ask for the Holy Ghost to be with me as I pray. Then my prayers come alive and are so real. I think a scripture or a song (the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me) is a prayer unto him too. You are so sweet, love your thoughts! :D
ReplyDeleteWe just had this discussion at church, when is prayer a prayer..I like what you wrote about a song could be a prayer, we didn't say that in our meeting, but it's true.
ReplyDeleteThank you~
I struggle with prayers too sometimes. Especially when I feel like all I have are requests. I really try to make it a point to think of something new to thank Him for or a different way to tell Him how I feel about Him that day. I love the song that you sang over BC, it reminds me of all the hymns I would sing over Luke in those late hours too. I need to sing with him more!
ReplyDeleteThat is one of my most favorite songs, I love it. I've always communed with God through music. Seems like whenever I just don't have the words, very often He brings a song to mind that ministers perfectly and opens the door for fellowship with Him.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful and sweet tradition!! Do you ever sing those songs to her now?
ReplyDeleteI love those sweet songs. I totally relate to struggles with prayer. Why is it so easy to talk to our spouse or best friend...and so hard to pray? I know the Lord hears my prayers. I just get to easily distracted.
ReplyDeleteI think I most often pray through music. It's the language God gave me, so I know it honors Him when I use it to communicate with Him. :0)
ReplyDeletewhat a sweet way to end the day~
ReplyDeletechasity
Yes, I do struggle with prayer some times.Thank you for the idea of singing. It is a wonderful idea.
ReplyDeleteMary
I do sometimes struggle with what to say, or feeling like I'm repeating myself, again... I think songs of worship are powerful. :) God hears our hearts. Thank goodness!
ReplyDeleteYou betcha I do. I "want" to carve out a time to sit and devote to it; but it is hard. Instead I feel like a pray on the run.... literally while I'm running sometimes! But, music most definitely, speaks to me or rather speaks my thoughts to the Lord. Jeremy Camp is my all time fave. Love your blog. love it! Nancy
ReplyDeleteI love singing prayers. I often do this in the car. What a sweet memory you have too, singing to your daughter the words that you wanted to bless her life with.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I do once in awhile is pray the alphabet. I go through each letter and pray over something that starts with each letter. I know it sounds kind of elementary, but it keeps my mind focused and praying throughout the day...which I love!
I struggle myself. I do know that when I begin with all of my "thank yous" and gratitude list, the prayers come easier. I'm trying not to get the laundry list going of things I need done in my life. Just TRUSTING that He will provide.
ReplyDeleteEnjoying your blog!
Lara
Absolutely! We struggle because we are human. Prayer should be as easy as drinking a glass of water. Go to Him in prayer and thanksgiving in all things. My time in the car running errands provide me with the time I need to pray about everything! Come over and pay your last respects to "Mean Rooster!"
ReplyDeleteWhen I put my baby down to bed, while I pat his cute little bum, I thank God for him alaways...and what a blessing he is in my life. That tiny little prayer helps me to remember that every day I have with him is this precious little gift. :)
ReplyDeleteOh I too believe that a song of praise is another wonderful way to pray and give God honor. We did the same many times with our children when they were small. Oh and by the way, I love it when you refer to your hubby as "Honey"!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a teenager, I remember telling my youth pastor that I didn't always feel that God could hear my prayers, and that I wasn't sure I was praying right. He gave me a great answer and told me when I felt that way to journal my prayers. It helped me so much and to this day, I will sometimes journal my prayers. It also led me to love of journaling about lots of things, which I still do to this day.
LeeAnn
I love that you sing a prayer...I'm gonna try that with my boys tonight...hopefully they won't plug their ears :o)
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ReplyDeleteI used to struggle a lot more with prayer until I read the Ragamuffin Gospel. I always felt guilty because I'd talk to Jesus at night in bed and then fall asleep on him mid-sentence. Brennan Manning compared that to a child falling asleep in their father's arms. Why would it upset God for us to fall asleep feeling safe in him? That's one lesson I've learned about prayer. The other is just like you said, there are things more intimate than a formal prayer, like sitting in silence and dwelling.
ReplyDeletei just love everything about you becky! I got your message. I"m a working woman today. I was going to write working girl but that's not the image i'm trying to portray. hee hee. I'll send you an email in a bit!
ReplyDeletecute story!
how's hubby?
it has become a silly... but i think good ritual for us... in the morning either as we are getting ready or in the car on the way to school... we sing the song "this is the day the Lord has made"... seems to always be a good start to our day... after the song some times we roll into thanking Him for the great day ahead.
ReplyDeletei do "struggle" with prayer sometimes... then i feel silly... then i feel silly for feeling silly... cause He knows... you know?
wow... that was wordy! :)
He just wants to talk... reminding myself it's the relationship with him.
i love what you titled the post... "simple connection"... so good... so true!
blessings... xo... thank you for sharing such beauty!
carissa
every christian struggles with prayer if they are honest about it. Singin is great and sometimes I just gotta start with thanking God for my hands and my feet.
ReplyDeleteI do love what Jennifer said about falling asleep praying. I've done that too many times to count, sometimes more often than not... It is such a safe feeling, though!
ReplyDeleteListening to my contemporary Christian radio station all day, I find myself tearing and choking up a lot while singing along. Just doing housework and sobbing, lol! :)
I struggle with prayer when it comes to praying for myself. That sounds crazy, but it's like I feel selfish praying that God will help ME! I guess I feel unworthy, I don't know. Since I've been going through so much personally lately I feel just emotional and humbled at the feet of Jesus and find myself just singing and worshiping, not knowing how to speak. Those songs you sang to your sweet baby sound just perfect!
ReplyDeleteOh, I am so glad I came across your blog tonight. I've been blessed! I look forward to coming back!
ReplyDeleteJoyfully,
Wylie
.I like what you wrote about a song could be a prayer, we didn't say that in our meeting, but it's true.
ReplyDeleteThank you~ Work from home India