Thursday 10 September 2015

Modern Day Samaritan Woman

A Test in Obedience – 31 Days

Head Covering / Prayer Room / Facing Giants

Day 3 – APPROACHING GOD




I am gradually discovering that by the simple act of being intentional in wearing a head covering in prayer, and making the additional effort to tie it correctly, that I am also becoming more intentional in paying attention to my attitude when approaching Him.

Some of the thoughts I have had regarding this is that there have been (more than I care to admit), times when my attitude was less than desirable, when considering that I was meeting with the King of Kings.

On some occasions I have entered the Throne Room, leopard crawling, exhausted, defeated, miserable and not really knowing what to say or how to say it.
Apart from “Help Me, Lord” , or “ Save Me, Lord”… I hardly said more and left again without really waiting or expecting an answer.

Other times, I have come running into the Throne Room, out of breath, skidding to a halt, saying my piece hurriedly, and then departing again , forgetting that I had committed to praying for a friend…Time was too short and I had no time… I had chores to do, places to be, children to raise…so I had to squeeze my prayer in quickly.

Many times, I would simply, shuffle in, dragging my heels, knowing I had to be there, but hardly having the heart for it…said what I needed to and departed again, relieved that my obligatory duty was now over and my family was “covered” as it were.

Other times, I was simply absent altogether, waking up in the morning, running around doing what was expected, only to have this thought drop into my mind….”You forgot to pray, yesterday, last night, this morning…whenever…”

Thankfully, there were also times when I approached God in gratitude and adoration…with thanksgiving and praise, but even these times were not as often as I would have liked and usually occurred after something phenomenal has happened in my life.

As I imagine the above scenarios and realise that if I had approached an earthly king or even president in any of the above ways, I would surely have been quickly escorted out and banned from ever returning, possibly imprisoned, and if this were the Middle Ages, I would probably have been publicly beheaded for my rudeness…

Yet!!!  these are ways in which I have approached my Heavenly Father, King of Kings and Lord of Lords… What is the matter with me? How did I become so complacent and rude? Who exactly was I kidding? God already knew the attitudes of my heart…

What would happen, I wonder if I would be intentional every single time I approach the King of Kings, with thanksgiving every time, even in the mundane day to day living, the hurry, the exhaustion and even the pain?

I decided to consult with someone who was in the Throne Room with the correct attitude:

Isaiah 6:1-8
[ Holy, Holy, Holy! ] In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple. Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew. And they called back and forth one to the other, Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth. The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. I said, “Doom! It’s Doomsday! I’m as good as dead! Every word I’ve ever spoken is tainted— blasphemous even! And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate. And here I’ve looked God in the face! The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!” Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said, “Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out.” And then I heard the voice of the Master: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” I spoke up, “I’ll go. Send me!” The Message (Emphasis my own)
  
Spiritual Lesson :
Become intentional when approaching God every single time. We serve a loving, merciful, wonderful, fearful God, Creator of all things and we are living in the age of Grace, BUT, He is still God…King of Kings, Lord of Lords, …
complacency has no business in the Throne Room.

Physical Lesson :

Since I have started wearing a head covering in prayer I have become increasingly aware of my prayer life, my thoughts, my attitudes, my posture and even the tone in which I pray. Wearing the head covering seems to have assisted me in focusing on my prayer time, becoming more intentional, prepared and in a sense closing me into that time. Outside factors fade when I am intentional about my prayer time.

 Prayer:

Father, forgive us when we have approached you in a less than desirable manner, forgetting that You deserve to be Honoured and Appreciated. Please help us to focus and teach us how to approach You respectfully, and lovingly, with all the adoration and praise that You deserve.

In Jesus Name we pray…Amen!!!


*Hugs* till next time.

Ariéte


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