Several years ago, my mom traveled to speak at a conference.  We spoke on the phone before she left.  She was a bit anxious about the engagement and asked for my prayers.  I thought it was unusual for her to be anxious as she speaks quite regularly.  In the days leading up to her speaking engagement I kept her in my prayers.  The night before she was to speak, I began my prayer by asking God to show me what to pray for.  As I continued my prayer, I found myself praying that she would wake up on time.  It was not what I planned on praying.  The thought just popped up in my mind, so I prayed it. 

The conference was rather involved so I didn’t contact my mom until a couple of days after she returned home.  She relayed that the conference had gone very well.  I hadn’t been able to get my “wake up call” prayer out of my mind, so I told her about it.  She then revealed that her alarm clock had not gone off that morning.  For some reason she woke up just a few minutes later.  She lost only a couple minutes and still had enough time for preparation and set up.  If she had woken up any later, she would have been frazzled which would have impacted her presentation.

At that time, I had been challenged by another to begin my prayers by asking God what to pray for.  It’s an awkward way to start a prayer, especially in a group.  However, I learned so much through this simple exercise.  It can deepen the power of prayer in your life.

This experience opened my eyes to see that we don’t know what to pray for!  We typically think we do.  We have a general idea.  But what if we allow God to direct our prayers?  What would happen then?

Let’s take a closer look at this story to see how God can work.  God knew that Mom’s alarm clock wasn’t going to go off.  I did not.  Would God have honored a prayer simply asking for Him to help Mom during the conference?  Probably.  But what happened when I invited God to be a part of my prayer?  He directed me to pray specifically.  He involved me in the nitty gritty.  It got more personal.  It became amazing. 

When we ask God what to pray for, He involves us in His work.  We get a front row seat instead of a seat in the nose bleed section.  Actually, it’s more like we get to play in the band.  Prayer becomes more than talking to God.  It is an activity that we participate in together with God.

Not only does it deepen our relationship with God, but it also strengthens our relationship with others.  We become more involved in lives around us.  My mom didn’t tell me that her alarm didn’t go off.  It wasn’t until after I told her about my prayer that she included the story.  She was encouraged by my prayer.  She knew God helped her in a specific way in an answer to a precise prayer.  Her waking up in time could no longer be viewed as a possible coincidence.  All glory went to God.  It demonstrated how He goes before us and prepares the way.

We don’t serve a fortune cookie god who distributes ambiguous experiences from a jar.  Our God is specific.  He includes people in His work.  He uses people to reach out to other people, deepening relationships.

This week I want to challenge you and myself to start our prayers with an invitation to God.  Let’s ask Him to show us what to pray for; to direct our prayers.  Start this way for your personal prayers and with your family or in other group settings.  It is going to feel odd, but do it anyway.  Don’t let the awkwardness stop you because that’s exactly what Satan wants.  Don’t give him what he wants.  He’d rather you not invite God into anything, let alone prayer.

As we undertake this challenge together, let us encourage one another by sharing what God does this week through prayer!  Let’s give God the glory!  Share your story in the comment section below.  Your experiences are an encouragement to me and others reading.

Scriptures for this week:
Daniel 9:20-23  *23
Romans 8:26-27; Jude 1:20-21
1 Peter 4:7-8; Ephesians 6:18-20
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12; James 5:16-18