“Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray.” ~ Matthew 19:13a

Why do we pray? The answer seems obvious, but I think it’s a valid question to be considered. Do we pray out of habit or maybe because we were raised to do so? Are there certain times we pray, such as at meal times or before we go to bed? Do we pray because we have a long list of things we need to get off our chests? Do we pray because our Messiah himself said, “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”? (Matthew 21:22)

For me, it’s a little bit of each of these reasons. I was raised in a home where we thanked Elohim for our food before each meal and where my Mom prayed with me every night. We prayed before travelling and when someone was sick. We prayed when really big financial issues arose and when we were seeking His direction on overwhelming decisions.

We believed, as the billboard on the highway near our house said, “Prayer changes things.”

And it does, but not always in the way we expect.

Sometimes our Creator chooses to heal a loved one miraculously from cancer or to provide us with the job of our dreams. But sometimes, He doesn’t. Sometimes He says “no”.

But wait, didn’t He say we would receive whatever we asked for in prayer if we had faith?

This can be a very tough and even hindering question for those skeptical of the validity of the Bible. I think the problem is that many would view Elohim as some sort of cosmic vending machine who just spits out whatever we desire at the drop of a few “pleases” and “thank you’s”.

But that’s not prayer.

Prayer is so much more than a Q&A session. Prayer is about relationship. Why do we talk to our spouse or call our best friend when something life changing happens? Why do we get together with family or go out with the girls on a Saturday night? Because we love the relationships—we were made for them. We love being around those people, talking and laughing with them. We share our good days and bad days. They ask how they can help or make our bad ones better. Sometimes they can help by offering simple hug or encouraging word. It doesn’t fix the problem, but problems can’t always be fixed. Just because our loved one can’t fix it, it doesn’t mean that person doesn’t care.

The truth is, YHWH can do whatever he wants. He could’ve healed my mom when she was sick. I had faith He would. I asked for her healing in prayer, and yet I didn’t receive my request. That might make Him look like a liar, but what does scripture say?

“Elohim is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” ~ Numbers 23:19

Scripture does not contradict itself. Elohim does not lie. He keeps His word. He is always faithful to His promises. Yes, I asked for my Mom’s healing in faith. It may seem like that request was not answered but the truth is, it was, just not in the way I expected.

My Mom has been healed. She is with her Maker, exactly where she needs to be. And, someday, I’ll see her again new body and all when He brings me home, too.

Precious Moments: Little Book of Bedtime

Tommy Nelson Mommy  sent me a gem of a resource this month. The Precious Moments: Little Book of Bedtime is the perfect companion for parents looking to add something more to their bedtime routine. This board book is filled with poems and prayers your toddlers and preschoolers will love. Prayer is about relationship and by teaching our littles to pray and meet with their Maker daily we are planting tiny seeds that will, hopefully, grow into full blown trees bearing fruit to further His Kingdom.

I really love this Little Book of Bedtime not only for the nostalgic Precious Moments illustrations I came to love so much as a child, but also for the way it is organized to fit with a bedtime routine. There is a prayer or poem for bath time and story time, pajama time and goodnight kiss time. Each rhyming prayer or poem is also followed by a scripture reference.

Wouldn’t it be fun to incorporate this book into your bedtime routine? You could read a prayer or poem with each step in your routine and even pull out your Bible to look up the references together. This would not only be a special way to make bedtime more fun, but also a way to introduce navigating the Bible.

And don’t stop there! Discuss the prayers and poems with your children and get those gears turning. For example, when you read the poem about counting stars, you could go look out the window and see how many stars your child can count. Ask them how many stars they think are in the sky. Tell them how amazing their Creator is, who counts the stars and knows each by name. What a special way to spend the evening, discussing the Bible and praying His Word.

The Giveaway…

Time for another Tommy Nelson Mommy giveaway! My prayer is that these giveaways bless you and your family as much as it blesses me to offer them.

Enter via the Rafflecopter now through Friday, February 28^th . One random winner will be chosen and announced in my March newsletter (so be sure to sign up in the sidebar widget if you haven’t already).

What is the most important aspect of your kids’ bedtime routine? I love hearing from you! Until then, happy reading!

Yours in Messiah Yeshua,

S

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Disclosure:

I received a copy of Precious Moments: Little Book of Bedtime through the Tommy Nelson Mommy Program. I was not asked to write a positive review. All views and opinions are solely and completely my own. I received no compensation other than a print copy of the book featured in this post, which is mine to keep or gift as I so choose. This post also contains affiliate links. To learn more, please read my full policy.

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