You Pray First

I had the opportunity to pray with someone that is very dear to me the other day and I thought I would share with you all about it. I believe that this could minister to each of us individually. So here it goes...

The other day my grandmother called my parents house to ask for prayer. I answered the phone, which was kind of a surprise to her, but she was really excited that I did answer it. Her first words were, "Joey, I need some prayer. Can you please pray for me?" She went on to tell me what she needed prayer for. This was really sweet. (Just so you know, my grandmother is in her 80's and has been growing in her relationship with the Lord over the past few years.)
If any of you had have me pray for you, you might be familiar to what I told my grandmother next. I said that I would love to pray for her, but this was the deal.... "Grandma, I want you to pray first and then I will pray for you." This was definitely a shock to her. She replied, "Me pray first?" I went on to tell her, "Grandma, I am a father now and I love to hear from my kids! I love to hear their voices! And in the same way you have a Heavenly Father that loves to hear your voice. He wants to hear from you."
Her response was not only sweet, it was honest. "Oh Joey, I have not talked with Him in awhile." I went on to encourage her to just pick right back up and get back to talking to Him, for He is just waiting to hear from her.
As she began to pray, the sweetest, truthful, and well-pleasing words began to flow out of her mouth and I know that if it brought so much joy to my heart, how much more did it bring to our Heavenly Father's heart.

'Call to Me, and I will answer you," Jer. 33:3

Although my grandmother is new in her faith with Jesus Christ, the Lord really used that phone call to minister to me in a radical way! This verse in Jeremiah was a verse that I prayed with her when it was my turn to pray, and although it was one that I was quoting to encourage her, I know that it was one that I needed to be reminded of.

• What is it that you need prayer for right now?
• Talk to Him (Jesus)!
• Be open
• Be honest
• He is just waiting
• No matter how long it has been, just pick it up again and begin to talk with your Heavenly Father
• He loves to hear from you!