This week I’ve been making a blouse. That may not seem like any big deal to those of you who know me. I enjoy sewing. I sew something for my children for every birthday and Christmas, and they love it! They’ve even learned to sew for each other as well. In fact, homemade gifts are typically the number one favorites in our home, no matter who they’re from!
That’s partially the point, though. I frequently tend to sew because I have to. I limit my machine time to those gifts, letting fun extra projects just pile up in my “when I get around to it one day” pile.
This blouse was one of those projects. True, I kind of need the blouse to replace similar ones that have become dingy and don’t look quite as nice as I’d like. But, it’s still a fun “for me” project. This week I decided I was just going to make time to do it. Because I wanted to. Because it was relaxing.
As I sewed, I though about how often I approach prayer in the same way. I pray. In fact, I pray often. But frequently my prayers focus on requests that need to be covered. Pressing needs. Current events. Illnesses. Wisdom for the moment. Things I have to pray for because they are compelling and pressing.
But that’s not all there is to prayer.
Prayer is about a relationship, not about checking off a list. When I simply focus on that list, I miss out on so much of the joy of that relationship with Christ.
Obviously, the relationship established by prayer is so much more important than sewing just for the enjoyable relaxation of it. But, how I love the way God puts those little reminders into every day life.
I will finish up the blouse later this week. I don’t know when I’ll start the next fun project. I might squeeze one more in before I have to really buckle down on the Christmas projects I’ve started. When it comes to prayer, though, no amount of have to praying should ever squeeze out the real joy of prayer. The real relationship of interacting with my Savior. That, my friends, should be my priority.
May you enjoy some relationship praying today!
Not Quite Ordinary 