Matthew 6:6 

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

My mind keeps going over a recent prayer meeting I attended. My heart is saddened and my soul aches. You see, I left this prayer meeting wondering what had just happened. One person screamed at the Lord and demanded the presence of the Holy Spirit. Another wanted prayers answered and answered NOW. And yet another’s voice increased in intensity above someone else praying, reaching a point where it became unbearable to my ears. These were children yelling at their Father and demanding their own way. I can’t explain what happened in any other way.

Perhaps I’m old fashioned or just prefer the quietness and personal relationship that comes with being with the Father in prayer. Some may even say I misunderstood the prayer meeting. But I wasn’t the only one who ‘misunderstood’ what and how they ‘prayed’.

I love to pray. I love to pray in prayer meetings, even if someone finds the need to pray over the top of me because I’m not loud enough for the Father to hear. I can’t ever remember reading in the Word that our Father is deaf. Where has the burden gone to pray as Jesus prayed? Where is the desire to set time aside to really pray as He taught us?

Without going into a thesis, what does it really mean to pray? Prayer is more than asking. Prayer is praising God, waiting in his presence, confessing our sins to the Father, reading and meditating on his word, interceding for others, presenting our petitions and thanking him for all things. For some, it can even include singing, but we need time to listen to what God has to say to us; to hear that still small voice.

Matthew 18:20 speaks about praying together. “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” So why would we need to demand His presence?

The next time you make time to pray, either in a group or in your own quiet time with the Father, remember to really take time to pray. Don’t make your own agenda and check your motives.

Father, help me to remember to pray as you have taught us. Help me to praise Your name and give thanks for your blessings. Don’t allow me to get caught up in my own agenda and demand my way as a spoilt child. Give me a heart to take the time to really pray. Amen

© Chrissy Siggee

Scripture Verses used are from the King James Version of the Bible

John 15:8-10

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

The Word of God breathes the spirit of love. God is love. There are over 440 references to love in the Bible. Our Christian faith is based on love: a love that sacrificed His life so we could live.

In 1 John 3:23 we read that there is a new commandment from God, that we should believe on his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another.

It’s not always easy to love and sometimes it’s easier not to love. Or is it? Often the consequences of not loving others as we should can be destructive to ourselves and those we do love.

How often do we choose not to love someone because of their behaviour, lifestyle or simply being afraid to love them? I have a couple of friends that fear being hurt. They have chosen not to love, and in doing so have cut themselves off from so many who love them. They believe they are happy and don’t need love from others. I find their choice to be a very sad and lonely one.

If God is love and we are to live in love, we need to rethink His commandments.

If there’s someone in your life you are struggling to show love to, ask God to reveal how you can. Seek His wisdom in dealing with those who hurt you or agitate you and show them His love today.

Be encouraged… 1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Psalm 9:10

It was a beautiful morning for a walk. After parking my little car close to the footpath which led to the river, I stepped onto the paved walkway and turned left toward my favourite place. The water was as smooth as silk. Its glass like appearance mirrored the beauty of Gods creation that surrounded it. The sun was warm and not a single cloud in the sky. The air was filled with the aroma of damp earth after the rain. I breathed in the fresh clean air, deep into my lungs. The heavens were filled with the sound of a flock of birds; all the indications of a beautiful day filled my senses.

It came from under the bridge. It was flying very low. Every now and then it skimmed the surface so lightly the tiniest ripple formed and died. Words of a well know song came to mind followed by the words of a verse.

“Now that’s strange. There’s the wings of a snow white dove and the wings of an eagle, but on the wings of a … duck!”

As I watched this unattractive but graceful, swift moving creature, I began to wonder just how awesome God really is. The power in those wings gave it the speed of an eagle, yet the gracefulness reminded me of a dove.

The charm of that duck brought me into a new understanding of beauty. God the designer and creator of the whole world, made all things… well.

© Chrissy Siggee

Scripture Verses used are from the King James Version of the Bible

Romans 12:4-7

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

I found myself in a valley… not from despair, but rather I had lost my direction for the future. God had placed us in that place, but I didn’t understand why. I had dedicated years to pastoral care and visitation ministry. There in that place, that wasn’t possible. In the previous thirteen relocations in our twenty-six years of marriage, God had always directed me into some kind of ministry relating to pastoral care.

It was during my morning prayer time that God revealed to me, though his word, that my future was in his hands but his gift to me had been neglected. My first reaction was to plead unfairness; that my pastoral ministry was over… or at least on hold. Then he gave me a vision; a little girl standing before her beloved grandmother sitting in an old rocking chair. This lady was presenting the child with a gift wrapped in silver paper and a large red bow. The child smiled brightly in anticipation, but in suddenly as if in terror, the child drew back and cried. “Why are you giving me this? I don’t want it,” and with that, the little girl ran from the room, throwing the precious gift out an open window. The grandmother’s eyes became moist and her face shrouded with sadness.

“Who is this child?” I asked my Lord.

My Jesus answered in a still small voice. “Just as this little girl rejected her grandmother’s treasured gift, so you too have rejected the gift I’ve given you and in the same way, you tossed it aside as if it were of no significance. Child you wounded my heart.”

“Yes, it’s true,” I admitted. “I’ve protested and convinced myself I was incapable and no longer able to accept this gift from you… Forgive me Lord.”

The gifts God has given us are often disregarded, for one reason or another. Even through our sickness and pain, there’s still a way we can share our gifts.

Writing became my new love; a way I could still touch peoples’ lives. Through experience and training, I can still use my gift to his glory.

© Chrissy Siggee

Scripture Verses used are from the King James Version of the Bible

Colossians 3:18-19