September 23
As soon as you began to pray, a word went out . . .
Daniel 9:23
For those of us old enough to know, there was a time when picking up the telephone involved a "live" operator to place our call, not a dial tone, and incorporated a “party-line.” The wires used for communication were shared by households in a community. To think that a connection could be made with someone clear across town, or the state, or the country for that matter, was still quite astounding to a lot of people! But with it, often came a test of patience, especially when the other party sharing this line had it in use incessantly! Lifting the receiver to make a call, conversation could readily be heard. Repeated attempts would be made to hear if the line was free; meanwhile one would have to wait their turn to make that call, no matter how long it took! Usually courtesy prevailed or was at least remembered at some point! There was comfort in knowing also, that should any emergency arise, picking up that receiver brought connection to someone immediately; whether it was the operator or someone else on the line.
Then, the years went by; progress bringing with it the cell phones, email, as well as video messaging on the World Wide Web that dominate our communication today. We have the ability to be in touch anywhere in the world instantly. There is no waiting, and we are free to say whatever we please to whomever is listening.
(At times certainly not to everyone’s advantage!) These connections do require electrical or battery power, or a link to the internet in order for them to operate, which can be a test of patience also!
Prayer on the other hand we are told in this passage is instantaneous! The only energy required is the honesty of our souls and faith in the response. We are told that as soon as the thought is present, it has arrived at
God’s ears! Immediately the call from God goes out, like ripples from a pebble tossed into a pond, spreading
wider and wider, until that request empowers the ones He has sent in answer, and encircles the one in need! What an opportunity for communication we have available to us! Sit back and think quietly about all the prayers being sent out to God from across the world at this moment! How it can take our breath away! Our spirits are united with all of God’s creation and that connection enables us to be present to one another in prayer; speaking heart to heart; no matter who we are, where we are, or how far away from one another we may be. Our union with Christ makes us one!
Today, we can use the convenience of the internet to appeal to countless people across the world, to join in a chain of prayer on behalf of someone’s need! How amazing, this phenomenal knowledge God has provided us with, that can be used for the benefit of each other! Even more important though, how awesome to know that we do not have to wait our turn, we do not need to have someone place the call for us, we do not require a battery, we do not need the electrical connection, we do not need the internet! God hears our every call to Him!
Thank you God, for hearing us and sending out your word in answer to our prayers!
Copyright© 2013 Kathleen A. Matson
As soon as you began to pray, a word went out . . .
Daniel 9:23
For those of us old enough to know, there was a time when picking up the telephone involved a "live" operator to place our call, not a dial tone, and incorporated a “party-line.” The wires used for communication were shared by households in a community. To think that a connection could be made with someone clear across town, or the state, or the country for that matter, was still quite astounding to a lot of people! But with it, often came a test of patience, especially when the other party sharing this line had it in use incessantly! Lifting the receiver to make a call, conversation could readily be heard. Repeated attempts would be made to hear if the line was free; meanwhile one would have to wait their turn to make that call, no matter how long it took! Usually courtesy prevailed or was at least remembered at some point! There was comfort in knowing also, that should any emergency arise, picking up that receiver brought connection to someone immediately; whether it was the operator or someone else on the line.
Then, the years went by; progress bringing with it the cell phones, email, as well as video messaging on the World Wide Web that dominate our communication today. We have the ability to be in touch anywhere in the world instantly. There is no waiting, and we are free to say whatever we please to whomever is listening.
(At times certainly not to everyone’s advantage!) These connections do require electrical or battery power, or a link to the internet in order for them to operate, which can be a test of patience also!
Prayer on the other hand we are told in this passage is instantaneous! The only energy required is the honesty of our souls and faith in the response. We are told that as soon as the thought is present, it has arrived at
God’s ears! Immediately the call from God goes out, like ripples from a pebble tossed into a pond, spreading
wider and wider, until that request empowers the ones He has sent in answer, and encircles the one in need! What an opportunity for communication we have available to us! Sit back and think quietly about all the prayers being sent out to God from across the world at this moment! How it can take our breath away! Our spirits are united with all of God’s creation and that connection enables us to be present to one another in prayer; speaking heart to heart; no matter who we are, where we are, or how far away from one another we may be. Our union with Christ makes us one!
Today, we can use the convenience of the internet to appeal to countless people across the world, to join in a chain of prayer on behalf of someone’s need! How amazing, this phenomenal knowledge God has provided us with, that can be used for the benefit of each other! Even more important though, how awesome to know that we do not have to wait our turn, we do not need to have someone place the call for us, we do not require a battery, we do not need the electrical connection, we do not need the internet! God hears our every call to Him!
Thank you God, for hearing us and sending out your word in answer to our prayers!
Copyright© 2013 Kathleen A. Matson