Prayer is central to our faith. It is deliberate communication with our Heavenly Father. It is an act of worship. It is a spiritual discipline. It allows us to adore, petition, praise, and confess. Prayer is the primary way we connect with God.
Scripture shows us that Jesus made time and space to pray. Mark 1:35 shares that, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Jesus would often separate himself to pray alone. He left his family, the crowds, and even the disciples in order to connect with God.
Jesus spent long periods of time in prayer. This was often done before a major event or difficult time. Luke 6 shares that Jesus went out to a mountainside and spent the night praying. This was not done lightly. Jesus spent several hours in solitary prayer seeking the will of God. After this long time of prayer, he chose twelve of his followers to be apostles.
We see from the example of Jesus that prayer should be a cornerstone of our Christian faith. We should frequently make time to connect with God. We should also seek out the Lord and devote significant amounts of time to prayer when major decisions need to be made.
In light of Christ’s example and seeing the importance of prayer I want to ask a couple of questions.
Do you have a favorite place to pray?
Where is it?
What makes it special?
What draws you there to connect with God?
I know that places, structures, and reasons will vary. Some want to pray in a sanctuary and smell candles burning. Others want to pray on their couch while enjoying a cup of coffee. We can make this a Christian community learning exercise and see how the body of believers demonstrate their faith. Share your response in the comments section and see how other Christians connect to God in prayer.
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God Squad 
Give Thanks
Posted in Christian Living, News & Commentary, tagged Abraham Lincoln, christian, Christianity, first thanksgiving, god, pilgrims, prayer, religious freedom, thanksgiving on November 26, 2014|
Thursday is the day that America will stop work, join with families, and give thanks.
In 1620, some 100 people seeking religious freedom, left England and landed in the New World. Little food, poor housing, and a harsh winter made their first year difficult. Only 50 Pilgrims survived the winter of 1620. They gathered together in the fall of 1621 to celebrate their first harvest and the blessings we often overlook today.
Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863, the midpoint of our Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring that a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens”, be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. American has celebrated Thanksgiving Day every November since 1863.
As we gather around homes and loved ones, may we remember the gifts and blessings of this year. May we also remember the Giver, Almighty God, our Creator, and Eternal Father. It is through Him that we can truly give thanks.
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