“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'”
– Matthew 6:9-13
Everyone loves going on vacation. Long and restful days drift by, punctuated by trips to see beautiful and exciting places. It’s a time to rest and relax. A little piece of heaven, we call it. We could stay there forever.
And it is such a disappointment to return home to chaos, work and drudgery. We wish we could go back to our vacation spot. We want to just rest.
And yet, we can rest in our day to day world. We can rest if we are part of God’s kingdom. We can rest if we trust God’s sovereignty. We can rest in His strength. We can rest in His love.
We do not need to go somewhere to rest. We need to allow God into where we are. And one of the best ways to do this is prayer. Prayer welcomes God in. It is our invitation. It speaks. It is the curtain torn, unveiling to us direct access to the Holy of Holies.
In prayer we can speak to and hear directly from God.
Prayer is the entry point to the Kingdom, come to us on earth. It is our shelter and our shield, our hiding place and our guide, a pillar of Holy Fire to come to embolden and strengthen us and ignite our hearts and souls. Prayer is asking God to be with us.
Our souls can be still when we call upon God. And our prayers draw us back to His Glory. Whether in our prayers we see victory or what seems to be defeat, every prayer draws those who love Him closer to Him and may be intercession for those who do not.
He will bring us our hearts desire, and the heart that desires Him.
There is fullness, joy and peace when we pray. Although we may abide in Christ, prayer to Him is greater than this. Prayer becomes a friendship, a conversation with the Living God. It is a relationship with Him.
To talk to God is rest. It is surrender. It is the end of striving. It is the end of self. It is peace and quiet for the soul.
We are more than called to draw near to God. We benefit from it. Prayer quiets the noise and calms the chaos. It gives us rest. It gives us stillness for a moment, for a minute, maybe even for an hour or a day. Prayer brings peace. And yet, prayer is also powerful. It shows us the riches of God’s beauty and His love. Answered prayer rejuvenates our soul.
Entering into the presence of God through prayer can be more soothing than a Summer breeze. It is more glorious than a lake sunset. His voice is like the roar of a mighty waterfall and His grace is as gentle as the whisper of a pine forest. His love is as vast as a summer field at night, an indistinguishable horizon filled with fireflies and stars, surrounding one with pinpoints of light. His majesty is greater than the looming granite faces of the mighty mountains that rise to touch the sky. He is always present.
We do not need to get away to relax. Nor do we need to remember to carry God with us. Going to a place of true rest is allowing yourself to remember not that you carry God with you, but that He carries you with Him. Always.
When we speak to Him, He listens. And He speaks in return. Go to Him. Call on Him, pray, and listen. This is your piece of Heaven. And you carry it with you everywhere with access to it right now.
Written by Janet Keefe
