Pray, Purpose, Practice

Someone wanted to know the absolute bare bones basics of preparing a message. Don’t you hate it when the right words show up days or even weeks after you want them? That’s what happened to me at a session of Ears to Eyes, the writing/speaking class I teach.  I don’t remember what I said, but I do remember that my answer seemed inadequate, to me at least.

Weeks later, in the middle of the night, these words popped into my head. Pray, Purpose, Practice. At first I thought they only applied to the writing class but as I made notes, I realized they should govern our lives.

Whether writing a novel, raising our children or attending school for a law degree, shouldn’t prayer be the number one priority of our lives? After all, God says that we should pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NIV)

And surely, we want to walk in His purpose for our lives, don’t we?

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.(1 John 2:17, NIV)

And then what good are prayer and purpose if we don’t practice what we preach?

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:26-28, NIV)

(Mary) Flannery O’Connor said “I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.”

Prayer- Lord, may we live our lives with prayer, purpose and practice, so that wherever our words show up, they will tell the truth of who we are in Christ. Amen.