Wednesday March 5, 2014
Ash Wednesday - Day 1

James 4:2
You do not have because you do not ask God.

Do you ever get to the end of your day and realize you didn't pray?  Didn't talk to God?  Didn't spend time alone with Him?  Everyone, hands down!  We all do this, at one time or the other, don't we!  In "the prayer dare", the author quotes Martin Luther as saying:

I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.

The whole point of this devotional blog is that, perhaps by reading or by pondering some of what's being written, you (and me!) will grow closer to God.  How do we do this?  Pray!  Yes, pray!  Talk to God.  Listen to God.  Do something about what you said to God and what you heard God say to you.  This way, God knows about us and our wants/desires/need, and about our hearts as they pertain to Him and our relationship with Him.  But we have to do something first.  Ask.  But Pastor, why do I need to ask if God knows everything anyhow?  Glad you asked... God absolutely insists that we ask because we need to learn to depend on Him.  God also wants us to give Him the credit when He does anwer our prayers.  So ask...

Ask... but with the right attitude and with a pure heart.  If we ask simply because we wish to get something out of it, God knows that.  If we ask because we love God and know He is able to do all things, God knows that. And if we know that God knows, then why (or even how!) are we able to skimp on our prayers!

In "the prayer dare", the author states:

The first principle of prayer is pray... It is an ongoing conversation you have with God throughout your day.

Remember, as we talk with God, as we listen to God, we grow closer to God.  We spend time with Him, we talk to Him, we love Him.  And it just keeps getting better and better as we keep on praying and praying!  Just ask!  Just do it!  You'll be glad you did!