Talking to God

Just before I closed my eyes last night, I realized I hadn’t prayed all day!  Don’t get me wrong – I say little thank you’s to God throughout my hours as He provides all those unexpected blessings…a cardinal across my path, a sweet sign from my husband that he loves me, eye contact and a smile from a stranger at the Walmart.  But I mean really talking to Him!

Then I had to smile.  Because I had spent several hours preparing my Precept lesson from Colossians and so many cross references.  I had been in His Word for hours; I had been listening to Him pretty much all day!

Why is it that I always think of praying as talking to God?  I’m not the wise and all-knowing one in the relationship.  And I think of listening as sitting still until He tells me something in my spirit.  And my thoughts drift and I find myself making grocery lists in my head and concentrating on my dogs.  Of course there are times when speaking to Him is appropriate.  I have praising, confessing and thanking to do and people to pray for. 

But doesn’t He primarily speak through His Word after all?  I wouldn’t be surprised when I am finally able to hear His voice to hear Him say, “Why did you make it so hard?  It was all right there in front of you all along.  All you had to do was stop talking!”

Psalm 85:7-9; 42:8
Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints— but let them not return to folly. Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land…By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.