Static
K-Love is one of my favorite radio stations, but it is one of the weakest radio signals in my area. I always tune my radio there in the hopes I'll get lucky with a clear signal but more often than not, out here in the country, I'll get static over the song, sometimes I even pick up a completely different radio station in the process. It got me wondering the other day if this static-multi-station-signal I get in my car is what I sound like when I speak to God.
There is no better example of an intentional prayer life than that set by Jesus himself. While Jesus was on earth he frequently went off by himself to pray; see Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16 and 9:18, for starters. If the Son of God needed this quiet alone time with God, how much more do we need it? In fact, Jesus instructs us to pray in this intentional and intimate manner.
"But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6)
I have an alarm set for early in the morning so that I can have this quiet time with the Lord before anyone else in the house is awake, but I feel that I can often sound like that static radio station. I can find my mind wandering to less important things about the day. How ridiculous! I'm speaking to the God who created everything and I am allowing my mind to wander to meaningless things!
"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:2)
It is very important to be in control of our minds and intentional with our thoughts. They can lead us down paths that do not need to be explored, creating fantasies and images that are rotten with sin.
"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:8)
Our minds can pursue meaningless thoughts and worries about the day, distracting us from God. This is the static, the other stations that my mind picks up when I want to send a clear signal to the Lord. When we pray, we should take every thought captive and be intentional with our focus.
Talking with God is one of the most important things we can do for our own spiritual walk. Satan would love for us not to talk with our heavenly Father, and he will use anything to come between us and God. Let us be intentional in our prayer life and intentional in keeping our minds focused on the Lord, especially when we are speaking to Him.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
—Redeemed
