No, not that kind! I have too many of that kind on my phone already.
What I need more of is Audacious Powerful Prayers!
I recently completed a Bible study called, “Psalms: Real Help for Real Life” by Ray Ortlund. It was just what I needed since, in many ways, I’ve had a little more “real life” than I bargained for over the past few years. Out of all that poetic goodness (for those of you who don’t know this, the Psalms are Hebrew poetry), one idea kind of grabbed me by the throat and shouted at me with a call of, “Wake up, Grace!”
It comes from Psalm 126:
“When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us; We are glad.” Verses 1-3 (NASB)
I love this imagery. God brought back the captives, and they stood there, mouths hanging open. They thought they were dreaming, that it couldn’t possibly be real. Then the captives started to laugh and shout with joy, and not only God’s people but everyone who saw it realized that the LORD had done something great – something only He could do.
Ray Ortland asks in this study, “How often do you ask God to do great things that only He can do?” (emphasis added)
The ladies in the Bible study I attend unanimously agreed, “Not often enough.”
- Great things, not just little things.
- Things that only HE can do, not just things that I can think of.
Most of the time, I pray for small things that are within the confines of my very limited imagination! Instead, I should be praying big prayers, audacious prayers, prayers for things I can’t even imagine!
My prayer for today is…
- That God will use my mother’s dementia to do something so big and so grand that I can’t even imagine.
- That He will use mom, even as her own abilities slip away one by one.
- That He will continue to show how good He is even on days when she is confused and frightened.
- And that He will continue to change my attitude as I watch Him work out a plan that I may never understand – at least on this side of heaven.
That is an audacious, powerful prayer. I know it is audacious because I can’t imagine what good will come of this situation. And I know is powerful because He is already changing me.
What is your APP for today?
On your social media or in the comments below, share your APP for today.
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Ortland, Ray. “Psalms: Real Help for Real Life.” Brentwood, TN, Lifeway Press, 2023, pg 120.