Even a small prayer can bring big results

I've noticed lately that praying is a lot like exercising.  Certainly, you can have big workouts, spending hours and hours in the gym.  But the best results are small improvements, a little here and a little there.

Okay, maybe exercising isn't the best analogy.  But getting in the habit of praying is vitally important.

My wife has spent the past two weeks in the hospital, recovering from sepsis.  Act Fast, all of the medical websites say.  Needless to say, I've been praying for her recovery as well as the care of the nurses, doctors, aides, and other hospital personnel.

Also, before walking into a meeting a work, I find myself praying for strength.  For myself.  Also, when I see someone in need, whether large or small, I say a little prayer for them.

Make praying a habit.  Even a small prayer, from deep in your heart, can make all the difference.

God's house

In the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 17, David is finally settled into his palace.  But he is distressed, for while he lives in a nice house, the Ark of the Lord is in a simple tent.  His servant Nathan told him that he should do what is in his heart to do.

The Lord then told Nathan, to advise David, that the Lord did not require a house to be built for Him.  From the days the Israelites came out of Egypt until that very day, his home has always been a movable place.  Furthermore, he never asked His people to do that for Him.

The Lord's Promise--His Divine Covenent--was to His people.  To destroy their enemies and provide a homeland for them.

After hearing this, David prays deeply to the Lord, thanking Him for all that He has done for them.

The awesome strength of God

Psalm 46 tells about the incredible strength and power of God, and although we fear His power, we will not fear the power of nature.

In times of trouble, from hurricanes and earthquakes to everything that can be thrown at us, God is our only refuge.

Nations may be in chaos, but God's voice is like a mighty thunder.  The Lord's Armies are always among us, protecting us like a grand fortress.  No matter what warriors throw at you, He destroys them.  God is honored throughout the world and throughout every nation.

This Psalm hit home this past week.  Monday evening, northwestern Minnesota got hit with a line of severe thunderstorms.  I watched the radar map as a line of storms--colored red, which typically mean a more severe part of the storm--headed our way.  Media outlets said wind gusts up to 70 and 80 miles per hour had been reported.

As the storm loomed toward our small town, the winds starting to pick up, I closed my eyes and prayed to God.  I prayed that no one would be hurt in this storm, and that damage would be minimal.  The trees near our house whipped around, looking like trees in a Florida hurricane.  Then, as I finished my prayer, the wind seemed to calm.  Rain still poured down.  I looked at the weather radar.  Guess what I saw?

The red color on the radar seemed to part right outside our town . . . and moved by on either side.  The only damage I could see the next day were branches and leaves scattering the yards.  I did have a roof vent that blew off, but I easily repaired it.  I heard no reports of anyone being hurt, and property damage was minor for the most part.

God's power is incredible.  The damage done with the storm could have been much worse.  But with a thoughtful prayer, we were spared.

God first

In the book of 1 Chronicles, chapter 16, David brought the Ark inside a tent he pitched for it and offered burnt offerings to the Lord.  He then blessed God's people and distributed choice foods to each man and woman in the land.

He appointed a select group of Levites to be the Ark's ministers and play an assortment of instruments before the Ark, and a great psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord was spoken.  The psalm sang of the Lord's wondrous strength and love of His people, how all of the kings throughout the nations will not harm any of His prophets.  The people of the whole earth will sing praises to the Lord.

Afterward, he assigned a select group to be gatekeepers for the Ark.

Then, when this was all done, he sent everyone home and David returned to his own home.

As you can see, David put the Lord first before anything else.  Remember to follow in his footsteps and put God first, even above your own family.  That is why tithing is called first fruits.  It is given first--and best--before anything else.

Put God first in your life.

King David and the Ark

Starting in the 12th chapter of 1 Chronicles, we are told of a multitude of warriors who joined David.  These warriors were very skilled with a variety of weapons.  Among these were tribes who were trained for war, had the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles.

These warriors could travel across any terrain, from mountains to even the overflowing banks of the Jordan River.

In verse 18, there is the following said to David, "We are yours, David!  We are with you, son of Jesse!  Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you."  These are powerful words that should be memorized, for if God is with you, success you will find.

David's army grew and grew.  In chapter 13, David consulted with all of the captains and leaders, urging them to spread the word to their fellow countrymen about what the Lord our God has done.  Then, he ordered them to bring the Lord's Ark back with them.  They celebrated their victory.

Throughout the next few chapters, into chapter 15, they establish a holy place for the Ark and have appointed certain people to protect it.

Celebrating the King

Psalm 45 starts with an outpouring of love for the King.

The King has been blessed by the Lord, and is the more fairest of all men.  He is armed with truth and righteousness.  All of His enemies will perish.

His throne is where the Lord resides.

The ladies who worship the King are among the most noble.

Of course, we're speaking about the one and only King of all, Jesus.

Starting at verse 10, the psalm turns to one's daughter.  She is to forget her people, where she came from, and will worship Him.  She is glorious and the rich will seek her favor.  She will wear the most beautiful of garments, and her sons will be princes of the land.

"It could be worse" vs. "Why do they have it so easy?"

In April 2011, my wife was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.  She spent much of that year at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  She stayed at the Hope Lodge, where we met lots of people with a variety of cancers.

My wife was lucky.  With the glorious power of God, she survived and is still in remission.  Even to this day, she has had other complications--she is legally blind--but she is cancer free.

Throughout this time, we've met many others and we've thought, "Our lives could've been a lot worse."  In fact, during my wife's stay, a younger couple also stayed at the Hope Lodge, was from our neck of the woods in northwestern Minnesota, and the young man had a similar type of leukemia.   Over a few short years, he went from being in remission to the leukemia coming back.  On July 3, 2013, he passed away.  He was only 27.

Yes, we could've been far worse.  My wife could've passed away--there were a few times in 2011 that she was close to Death's door.  But she didn't.

It's human for us to compare our lives with others.  Take social media.  We see other people's lives and think, "Wow, they have it so good.  Why can't we be like them?"

But what one doesn't know is their life, unfiltered through the lens of social media.  Even celebrities and others highly visible in the public eye.  It's easy for us to say, "They have it so easy."  Chances are, they don't.

Take time each day and pray to God.  Pray that He leads you down the path He wants you to take.  Don't compare yourself to others, either in sympathy or jealousy.  God has a plan for everyone.  Pray for Him to reveal your life;s plan to you.  And do what He instructs without question.