Prayer Reflection – March 17, 2023
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Matthew 6:26-27 (NIV)
26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
I arrived home the other day to a chorus of birdsong emanating from the pine trees in our neighbourhood.
I paused and stood in the sunshine and enjoyed the beautiful sound of it all.
As I did, I thought about Jesus’ exhortation for us to consider the birds of the air and how our heavenly Father cares for them.
I love Jesus’ questions.
“Are you not much more valuable than they?” Jesus uses this “much more” language elsewhere (see Matthew 6:30 and 7:11 as two more examples).
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”
I am so thankful for Jesus. He continues to rescue me from my tendency to worry.
There are days where I struggle more with this, but I am grateful for His grace and how He helps me walk through it and out of it (see 2 Corinthians 4:7-9; 12:9-10).
Jesus knows. He knows what it’s like to be in our shoes (see Hebrews 4:14-16).
What is on your heart today? What are you thanking Jesus for? What are you bringing to Him today?
I invite you to read Matthew 6 and perhaps the entire Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and imagine yourself there listening to Him teach. And then He gestures towards the birds in a nearby tree or possibly flying overhead.
Linger there with Jesus. Give Him your time and attention. Share your thoughts and feelings with Him. Pause with Him.
This song has been on my mind a lot lately and I wanted to share it with you as we pause with Jesus.
The Lord bless you today!
