Last week, our first week of ministry, we worked a lot in the prayer garden. Its a garden on the El Refugio campus where there are lots of flowers, benches, and open space to sit with the Lord. During ministry, the Lord let me see a lot of beauty for the prayer garden. How beautiful it was to see a place designed specifically for talking to the Lord. And what an honor it was to take care of that place and make it a place where the Lord’s beauty could be seen and cultivated. I thought working in it would be the only time spent there.
Last Sunday night, Naomi asked our team what the Lord is teaching us, and what we’re struggling with. We just started praying over each other in the kitchen. It was the sweetest experience. Starting this week in prayer made it a week of prayer.
Monday morning, Grace and I passed the prayer garden, and she asked me “do you want to spend some time in there after ministry?”.
We went, we sat, and we prayed. For each other, for our squad, for our team, for our futures, for our families, for our friends at home. Whatever the Lord brought up in our hearts, we prayed about it.
The Lord has been teaching me so much about prayer, and I shared about it with my team two nights ago as Naomi opened up the space again to talk about what the Lord’s been teaching us at the kitchen table.
Prayer is what allows us to see the Lord’s faithfulness. If we’re not talking to the Lord and praying over certain things and people in our lives, how will we see Him do His miraculous healing? How will we see Him do His will? How will we learn what His will is? How will we see His love captivate people? How will we be in true communication and relationship and friendship with Him? How will we get to know Him if we don’t talk to Him?
I’m reading a book right now called “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire”. It just happens to be all about prayer, so the Lord’s been teaching me a lot though it.
“Does the Bible ever say anywhere from Genesis to Revelation, ‘My house shall be called a house of preaching’? Does it ever say, ‘My house shall be called a house of music’? Of course not. The Bible does say, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56).’ Preaching, music, the reading of the Word— these things are all fine; I believe in and practice all of them. But they must never override prayer as the defining mark of God’s dwelling.”
This book has been something the Lord’s been using to change my view of prayer. The Lord hears us and wants to partner with us in prayer. “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” ??Romans? ?8:28?
I know that everything I pray about will either happen or not happen, and only according to the Lord’s will. And that gives me so much peace because everything He does or doesn’t do, He will do it for my good. And all for His glory. And its an honor to partner with Him in that.
I truly believe that I will be able to look back at this season of time in the prayer garden and be met face to face with the Lord’s faithfulness. The things I pray for that happen, the things I pray for that don’t happen, I am trusting that His faithfulness will be shown through it all. That my life will just show more of His Glory. And every story I tell will be a representation of the power of prayer and pursuit of who He is.
This was the verse of the day from Monday, and its stuck with me.
“I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.” Psalms? ?27:4?
Through every prayer I pray, its out of my true desire to dwell in His house, gaze upon His beauty, and seek Him in His temple. Whether its in the prayer garden, in the kitchen, at school, on the drive to work, or in your room, we get to talk to Him when we choose to dwell in His house. Wherever we are, we can sit at His table, in the House of Lord, and talk to Him. We get to pour our hearts out to the One who listens, and get filled back up with His peace and grace and love and truth.
What an honor. The greatest honor.
love always,
ava 🙂
