August 20, 2016

PRAYER THOUGHT:  "Why is prayer often the last thing we resort to?  'When all else fails, pray!'  Haven't we learned yet to make prayer our first resort?"

Proverbs 1:24 NKJV - "Because I called you and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded."

Commentary:

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 1:20, "Wisdom calls aloud outside..."  What he's saying is that God calls out to us to pay attention to Him!  It's a wise thing to do.  Give God "the time of day" at least!  Don't wait until you make an utter mess of your life and then do what you should have done from the beginning - PRAY!

Too many people will come to the end of their lives wishing they had spent more time praying than they did playing.  We give more time to our jobs and our recreation than we would ever give to our worship.  Ironic isn't it?  We work, we play, and we worship.  Trouble is we work at our play, we worship our work, and we play at our worship!  No, that's not original with me.  But it's still true.  We treat our faith as if it's a "Sunday only" item on our agenda.  We've relegated God to one hour a week, if we have time; if there's nothing else "more important" to do.

And then what happens?  Things go wrong and who do we blame?  God.  We make a mess of our life and what do we say?  Why did God let this happen?

Our Daily Verse lets us know that God calls to us throughout our lives.  He will certainly use His word and the preaching of it to get our attention.  But He speaks in the regular routine of our days.  He speaks in our homes, at our work or school, even in the market places where we shop.  Many times and in many ways, God is calling to us.  He's wanting us to "pick up the receiver" and talk to Him!  Every once in a while just stop what you're doing and pray.  Likely you'll find the experience such a help that you'll keep it up.  That's what God is waiting for.