Pray for More of HIM!

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What happens when you read God’s word every day? When you really immerse yourself in it and find yourself becoming more and more in love with it?

You change.

The same Word spoken by God to bring creation into existence is being spoken right now. The Bible is not a collection of old dusty words that we must studiously read and hope that relevance may occur. It is the living, breathing expression of the voice of God. He is speaking now and will continue to speak. His words never fade into the distance or into a memory, but rather continue to become, create, live, and bring about His purposes. And He wants to speak into our lives right now!

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

I have mentioned before that I have prayed that I would live my life in light of the reality that I am desperate for Jesus and the Word of God. So far, it has been an exercise of both self-discipline and surrender for me.

Self-discipline… Reading God’s Word regularly and make it a priority, not only first thing in the morning but also throughout the day.

Surrender… I cannot simply read the Bible and make it work for me. I must surrender myself to the Lord and really listen to Him, bringing my heart into a position of attentive openness, and allowing God’s Word to do it’s work IN me.

And it is doing it’s work! My mind fills up with scriptures that I have memorized or recently read. The Holy Spirit uses it to teach and direct me in the moment. I WANT to read my Bible all the time. I NEED to. My children now see this as a characteristic of MY life and not only my husband’s. So, in turn, it is changing us. I hope and pray that it becomes a permanent part of who I am.

Praying for the desire and the self-discipline is what made the difference. Praying for God to change me and put a deep longing for His Word in my heart. And then taking small, determined steps toward Him, like a toddler with her arms reaching out to her Father.

If you have struggled with reading the Bible on a regular basis, I encourage you to pray! Put sticky notes around your house or reminders in your phone/computer to pray. Pray for the desire. Pray for the discernment to find that opening in the day to reach for your Bible. Pray for ideas that will make it not only easier for you but help it become as much a habit as breathing or eating! One thing that has been proven to me is that if we pray for more of HIM, God will say yes!