Sunday Dinner: James 5:16/Philippians 4:6--"Knees to the Earth"

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Nothing wrong. Just wonderfully busy. Sometimes I feel like the only civilian mom in a world of Supermoms. Perhaps I've got a cape hidden somewhere under a pile of laundry. If I find it, I promise I'll post something each day.

If I only have time once a week to post (although plan to I do more . . . really), I want it to be on Sunday. It motivates me to meditate on a different verse for the week and share about another favorite song. This week I've chosen two very well-known gems.

"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16, KJV

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Philippians 4:6, NIV

I must confess that years ago I had times in my life that I've spoken the words, "I'm praying for you" then never actually did. Part of it was the thought that if God is in control of all things and knows all things, then it seems unnecessary for me to ask God to care for a situation that He is already working on. I also thought that prayer was kind of like a vote in a Presidential election--I already know so many others who are praying so what is my little prayer going to do to change things.

But at other times in my life, I've seen the power of prayer firsthand. I've seen jaw-dropping answers in impossible situations. I've watched faith grow and hearts soften. I've felt perfect peace in the midst of unyeilding pain. I've prayed for biggies like healing for a loved one with cancer. And I've prayed for little things like needing wisdom to parent my child that day.

Prayer delights our Creator. Prayer builds our faith. Prayer glorifies God. Prayer shows our surrender to His authority. Prayer brings perfect peace.

Few times in my life have a prayed more than during our adoption. When I felt worried, I'd meet God on my knees and after my prayer time would always feel such calm that it was going to be okay.

I often felt that it was a spiritual tug of war to get Daniel home. I think perhaps we'd still be waiting if we had not had so many interceding on our behalf. I even had a dear lady from the Guatemalan government write the following comment on my blog.

"Hello Kathie, I'm from Guatemala City and I work in the place where your file was finally release last Friday to get your baby boy's birth certificate. Your husband gave me your blog address so I can catch up on this process. You just have no idea how much it makes me happy to know that Daniel and your husband will be home for Christmas Eve. It makes me realize how wonderful it’s God’s plan for our lives, it definitely has a special one for Daniel’s life… to find a beautiful and loving family like yours. As I’m sure your husband told you, your file wasn’t gonna be ready until this week, but he told me your story and God made the rest, the thing is that your file got out so fast that I wanted to contact you and write about this so the people who reads your blog knew that their prayers definitely worked!... Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do for you and your family. God bless you all and Merry Christmas!!!
Kind Regards,
Gabby"

And perhaps the sweetest prayers uttered on our behalf were from children. From the kids in our daughter's classes to children of our friends, many people wrote that they were praying as a family. You'll never know how much that meant to us. Here's something one of my dear friends wrote about her daughter when we found out Daniel was coming home.

"While putting her to bed tonight she had this to say 'Mommy, Daniel is coming home. I have prayed for him to come home for a long time. God has answered my prayer.' She said all this with a huge smile. So cool when a 7 year old figures out that God does listen and can answer prayers."

And then there were the words of a little boy who, after nine years, got to spend his first Christmas with a family:

"I made it home for Christmas because God answered our prayers."

God convicted me a year ago that I wasn't praying "fervently." Apparently the whispers in my Father's ear weren't what He wanted from me. I think my lack of zeal was because I was tired. I know there's not an expiration date on prayers, but I had kind of hit a wall with our adoption. But then I began to ponder what "fervently" means. It changed the way I go to God. Now when I tell someone I'm going to pray for them, I mean it. And these prayers will be spoken on my knees, crying out to the Lord. I've also learned the importance of fasting. (And that I need to post caution tape and warning signs when I do because of blood sugar issues.) And I've learned how beautiful it is to pray as a family.

There are many burdens on my heart today. Burdens for two dear people who just found out they have cancer. Burdened for 147 million orphans. Burdened for a country recovering from an earthquake. Oh, my list is long. But I will place my burdens--great and small--at the foot of the cross.

This week's song is "Knees to the Earth" by Watermark. It's one of my favorites and is a great one to have playing when you go to the Lord in prayer. (And my favorite "knees to the earth" story is here if you haven't yet read about my prayer warrior grandmother.)

If you have a request you'd like me to pray for, post in the comments below or e-mail to kdwilliams12@comcast.net. And thanks for the gift of your prayers for our family.

Have a Blessed Week,
Kathie