Why We Need Reminders
Free-Form Prayer.
That is what I had been doing in the past. I prayed every day for my family, but after that prayed for anyone the Lord brought to mind. While that is not a bad way to pray, I realized I was forgetting people.
So to remedy the problem, I wrote down everyone in my life I was called to prayer for—friends, extended family and acquaintances. I prayed for those who were sick and now I’ve added those affected by Harvey. My prayer time used to be less than five minutes but now it’s extended to over a half-hour and I believe it will continue to grow as people ask me to pray for them. Writing down our prayer concerns is a great way to remind us of all the people and situations we need to lift up. Hey, I may even type mine up today. Then it will really be official!
In the same way, we also need reminders about the nature of God. We receive that not only through the answered prayers but also through His Word. This morning, I was reminded of two things: God is love and God works good out of the bad.
1 John 4:16 says, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” Having had no father in my life, my Heavenly Father needs to remind me often that he loves me because circumstances can tell me otherwise.
And as I now hear stories about, and watch the cleanup from the destruction that Harvey delivered, I have to be reminded of Romans 8:28: “All we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I trust he is working miracles in the devastation. I believe he is speaking to many people in the rubble and I am hopeful that through the an insurmountable loss, God is providing hope for his people.
What do you need to be reminded of today? Ask your Abba Daddy to remind you of the individuals in your life who need your prayers and ask Him to bring to mind his attributes.
He would love to jog your memory.