what we were made for

Today's readings: Ezekiel 42:1-43:27, James 5:1-20, Psalm 119:1-16, Proverbs 28:6-7

"Are any of you suffering hardships? He should pray."

Have you ever stopped to think that the reason we were created was to be with God? To talk to Him, share our lives with Him, interact with Him? Yes, God created us to love each other, too. And He created us to enjoy the beautiful and amazing creation that He made from nothing. But He mainly made us to know Him, love Him, and talk to Him.

That's prayer.

What do you think of, when you think of prayer? In your mind, is it just asking God for stuff? Praying that He'll bless you, or bless other people? That's part of it.

But prayer is much more. If you never heard of the acronym ACTS, it's helpful. Adoration - telling God how awesome He is and how much you are grateful for Him in your life... Confession - realizing and admitting that you have sinned, and turning away from those sins, Thanksgiving - thanking Him for the good things in your life, and for answered prayer, and Supplication - asking Him for things in your life (like wisdom, or to be closer to Him, or for the money that you need to pay bills) and for other people.

Prayer is more than that, too. You can practice lectio divina, which is holy reading. It means reading a story from the Bible and using your imagination to put yourself in the story, interacting with the characters. God speaks to us this way.

And that's an important part of prayer. Not just talking TO God, but listening, and letting God talk back. While I'm praying, I will sometimes remember something I need to do. Or I'll think of someone out of the blue, and I'll pray for them. When we pray, God talks back.

Thank You, God, for talking with us.