The celebration of the resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in the life of any community of believers. It is the announcement that Jesus
has broken
the power of sin over our lives, and that we can now freely enter into God’s presence to talk and interact with him. It is a day when we hear our name spoken in a new way as Mary Magdalene did when she encountered Jesus in the garden (John 20).
Our hope is found in our ‘conversation’ with the Father on a daily basis. I think that is what Paul Miller is getting at when he writes his chapter on “Real Life Praying.”
“Prayer,” Paul Miller says, “is where I do my best work as a husband, dad, worker, and friend. I’m aware of the weeds of unbelief in me and the struggles in others’ lives. The Holy Spirit put his finger on issues that only he can solve. I’m actually managing my life through my daily prayer time. I’m shaping my heart, my work, my family – in fact, everything that is dear to me – through prayer in fellowship with my heavenly Father. I’m doing that because I don’t have control over my heart and life or the hearts and lives of those around me. But God does.”
I believe that, but it is the daily practice of conversation in prayer where I can struggle. Maybe that is why it is so important to regularly hear the voice of Jesus and be reminded of His great love for me, demonstrated in such a powerful way in His death and resurrection.
Filed under: Prayer |
Thoughts Along The Journey 
I appreciate how Miller puts the management of one’s life in the context of daily prayer. I think he’s right about this. Good insight. And perhaps this is especially true for those of us who work in Christian mission. We need to constantly acknowledge the rapid change and helter-skelter of the people groups with which we work are in Christ’s hands.
I think that is why I appreciated his comments today. “Managing life” through prayer seems far from my (our) usual approach to the changing dynamics of this world.