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January 24, 2009
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Don't Let the Grass Grow Here!, by Danny Sims
Native Americans have an old saying: "Don't let grass grow on the path
of friendship."
We ought to spend so much time with people we love that there is plenty
of evidence of the relationship. The Native Americans are talking about
the many ways to knowing good friends. I like that.
When I was a boy I often walked a path to a couple of sacred spots. My
family lived on a farm in southwestern Kentucky and my older brothers
built a tree house hidden away in a wooded tract of land. A little
deeper in those same woods was a secret pond where the Sims brothers --
and occasionally their sister -- could fish or look for frogs. Don't
underestimate the mystique of a tree house and fishing place known only
by a few kids!
We knew the way to the tree house and pond because we went there so
often. And over time we made a trail. Eventually anyone could follow
the well worn way. We would have never stayed away from the tree house
and pond long enough for grass to grow on the path.
This can be true of friendship and it can also be true of prayer.
Prayer is a trailhead to friendship with God, a pathway to the
controlling influence of God's character, the junction where we merge
with His mercy. Prayer leads us to God. So we need to be familiar with
a time and place for prayer. Prayer is a way to knowing God.
We need to say this: Don't let grass grow on the path of prayer.
If you are not practicing prayer there is always time to begin. Start
today. Trust me in this: no one feels 100% satisfied with their prayer
life. We all wish we prayed more often and we long to make deeper
petitions when we pray. When it comes to the journey of prayer no one
has arrived. So begin where you are right now and see where you are in
a week, a month, or even a year.
"Friend, there's grass on your path!"
Recently Tricia, a wife and mom of three kids, began to pray daily for
the first time in her life. She has joined over 300 other people in our
church family in 40 days of walking in prayer together and listening
for God's voice. Tricia recently e-mailed me to say:
I am embarrassed and proud to admit that for the first time in my
Christian life my prayer life has true meaning. I set aside
personal time to work through the days lessons/thoughts and special
time for prayer. I find myself praying more than once a day which
is something new to me and I have finally found my way to my knees
in prayer, something I never fully grasped before now.
I love how she is embarrassed and proud all at the same time. I can
relate! Tricia is making a new path to the heart of God.
Some of the early converts to Christianity in Africa were so attentive
to their prayer time that they found their own special place to pray in
solitude. These sacred spots were away from their village. As they
walked to their prayer place they would create their own private
footpaths through the brush. When grass began to grow over one of these
trails, it was evident that the person to whom it belonged was not
praying very often. When a brother or sister noticed an overgrown
"prayer path," they would lovingly go to the person and say, "Friend,
there's grass on your path!"
Friend, if there is grass on your path or you'd like help in making a
new path, let me know! Email me: DannySims@altamesa.org. I would love
to help you make a new path for your life.
---------
(c) 2009 Danny Sims <dannysims@altamesa.org>. Used by permission.
RELATED LINKS:
* Drawing Nearer
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200901/20090105_drawingnearer.html
* He Walks with Me
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200707/20070712_walkswithme.html
* Maintaining a Rich Relationship with God
http://www.heartlight.org/family/family_v222.html
* Altamesa Church of Christ
http://www.altamesa.org
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200901/20090124_grassgrow.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
LESSONS FROM A SHEEP DOG: A TRUE STORY OF TRANSFORMING LOVE, by Phillip Keller
Allow yourself to see Biblical truth in this classic tale of what can
happen when you yield to the Master.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?254
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