Relationships are everything.
There is nothing in our life more important, more relevant, more useful than our relationships. Primary of course should be our relationship with God. But every relationship we have is essential to our existence. From our closest friends and family to the acquaintance we see occasionally at work to the person we say “hello” to on the street and never see again, how we interact with other people on this planet determines our lives.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m a Prayer Chameleon. You’ve heard of Prayer Warriors: those people who live out Ephesians 6:18 in their daily lives: “Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere” (NLT). Well, I’m the opposite most of the time. I pray when it’s convenient, when I have a need, or most often, when a friend is in the midst of an urgent situation.
A close friend was having surgery this morning. It was a relatively minor procedure, but still warranted some prayer, so I prayed for him. It was one of those generic, “Please let the surgery go well, let the doctors have steady hands, give him and his wife peace, etc., etc.” prayers. As I was in the midst of this prayer, I realized that lately my prayer life has completely degenerated into this kind of one-shot, toss-the-prayer-in-the-air-and-hope-it-sticks kind of prayer. I really don’t talk to God any more….
