When you pray ...

When
you pray
to God

When
you ask
of God

Believe.

The answer
sought
will come
IF
you believe -
not with your mind,
but with your heart -
He hears
your plea
and will provide
what you need.

Our prayers
must be
focused
on Him
and His will
not
on our
circumstances
of the
moment

When
you pray
to God

Remember ...
His promises

When
you ask
of God

Trust ... 
He will
shed light
on the
darkness
that beckons you
to come
and follow -
a place
of fear
and unbelief

When
you pray

Listen.

God listens
to you.
Do you listen
to Him?

Do you
spend time
with Him
to hear
what He
has to say
to you?

or do you
turn Him off,
tune Him out
when you
have had enough?!

When
it is
to God
you pray

When
it is
of God
you ask

When
it is
from God
you receive

Believe
Trust
Listen
with your whole heart,
your whole being

True faith
will prevail
when
anxiety
passes,
bringing
in its wake,
calmness.

In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus said - "Have faith in God. ... whoever does not doubt in his heart, but believes... whatever things you ask when you pray that you receive them, you will have them." 

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders
Jan. 4, 2018

He remembers

All that is
Jesus remembers

Great or small
On mountaintops
or deep valleys
Jesus remembers

He remembers
your capabilities
and strengthens us
or allows us to rest
in His shadow

He remembers
your discontent
and encourages us
to spend time with Him
focusing on His Love

He remembers
from where you came
and is patient
and gentle and kind
in your suffering moment
faced
facing
and will face

He remembers
the lies heard and told
and the truth
for He is the Truth
In Him, "it is impossible to lie"  (Hebrews 6:18)

He remembers
your desires
your faults
your shame
and opens His arms wide
to envelop you
To set you free
as you were,
as you are,
as you always will be -
His -
yet you travel
a path of your own
making

He remembers
you do not travel
the route He has chosen
you do not seek
His guidance
you do not listen
to His words of wisdom
you do not know
of the promises
He has given you

He remembers
all of it
Even that which you think
is hidden
He knows
"For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light." (Mark 4:22)

He remembers
your selfishness
your pride
your disobedience
your conceit
your defiance
your jealousy
your bitterness
your unbelief

He remembers
seeing all that you were
and all that you are now
and all that you will become
"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth..."  (II Chronicles 16:9)

He remembers
"because, although (you) knew God, (you) did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in (your) thoughts and (your) foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, (you) became fools."  (Romans 1:21-22)

(c) Cathy Orrick Luders
January 3, 2018