Listening to God Breathe

We have entered the season of lent. It is a season that many Presbyterians observe, but know little about.

Lent has several parts to it. This first Sunday of Lent we think about prayer. Prayer is not just us talking to God about our concerns. It is not us complaining to God about the things that are wrong in our life. It is not beseeching God to do something about the lives of our friends that have gotten off track. It is not even limited to praising God for the wonderful things with which he has blessed us. Prayer is not limited to our requests for friends in need, crisis situations around the world, or the coming of the Kingdom of God amongst us.

Prayer is communion with God. Prayer is constant contact with God.

Reciting our checklist of wants and needs is easy. Counting our blessings is easy. Staying in contact with the Almighty on a 24/7 basis is much more difficult. Prayer is keeping the lines open between you and your Creator. It is not just him always ready to listen to you. It is also you always being ready to listen to him.

You may remember talking to a boyfriend or girlfriend in your much younger days. When you ran out of things to say you simply kept the line open and listened to the other one breathe. That may sound silly now, but many of us did it simply because we didn't want the connection, even if it was only a phone connection, to end.

God wants you to keep the connection open. He does not want to call you and get a busy signal, get interrupted by call-waiting, or be put on hold. God wants, after all your requests and praises have been said, to stay on the line with you. DON'T HANG UP! God wants you to listen to him breathe – to breathe into you all day long that life-giving Spirit that only he can give.

This next week of Lent, keep the lines open between you and your Savior. Listen to God breathe life into you.

 Pastor Craig