I Might be Deceiving Myself

1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray constantly.  Some translations say, continually.  Then James comes along and tells us to be doers of the word and not hearers only.  He actually polishes off the verse by telling us that if we aren’t doers, we deceive ourselves.  So I guess if I’m not a consistent pray-er, I might be deceiving myself.

Here’s what I’m getting at…for quite a while now, carving out one hour every Wednesday morning for an extended prayer time has been on my list of goals.  This year, I even upped the ante by being more specific and naming a place.  Sitting at my desk.  This is because I write my prayers sometimes and it’s easier to do at a desk.  

My unfortunate bottom line is that I haven’t made it happen.  I’m saying I haven’t made it a habit.  I probably could have swept this under the rug – which I’m all too good at – except that God kinda stopped me in my tracks this morning in my personal Bible reading.  It’s so weird the times He chooses to speak.  

I’ve told you before that I’m reading the ESV cover-to-cover chronologically this year.  This morning’s reading was Acts chapters 9 & 10.  You know the stories…chapter 9 is Paul’s conversion and chapter 10 tells the story of Peter’s encounter with Cornelius.  Do you remember?  Peter has a dream and God tells him not to call anything unclean that God has made clean.  It’s a great story.  I love it.  But that’s not the part of the story that got my attention. 

A Certain Place

Verse 30 says this: “And Cornelius said, Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing…”  Immediately, I wondered if an angel would know where to find me if he had a message from God for me?  I mean, it was obvious that Cornelius, like Daniel in the Old Testament, had a habit of praying.  I’ll bet he even did it in the same spot in his house.  Through that verse, God provided the inspiration I needed.  I want to pray like Jesus in Luke 11:1… He was praying in a certain place…  When Jesus comes again, I want to be found praying in a certain place.  My place.  My prayer place.

Do you have a certain place to pray?  Is it a scheduled hour or is it catch as catch can?  I shared my burden with you, so now it’s your turn to tell me a little about your prayer goals.  You can either confess or brag at Lifting Her Voice, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

For now, though, I can say that you have been found in a certain place reading your Bible systematically!  That’s right, you did it again!  Congratulations, you finished another one.  This is the last day we’ll spend in the book of James.  Wow!  Sixteen days to finish the next six General Epistles and then 22 days for Revelation.  Your end-game is officially in sight.  Nice work!