It is not uncommon to see the words “FRAGILE – HANDLE WITH CARE” written
on the outside of the delivery box of a breakable item. This warning serves as an
indication that the contents are precious and could become damaged if the proper care
is not given. Today, I suggest to you that our lives are precious, too. Far too often, we
convince ourselves that we know what is best and tend to lean on our own
understanding rather than consulting God. We would be wise to heed these words from
Proverbs 3: 5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own
understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”
As Christian women, we have a tremendous blessing that not everyone has been
given – the avenue of prayer (Ephesians 1:3, Proverbs 15:29). Let us not take this
blessing for granted; but rather, go to our Heavenly Father when our hearts are heavy
(Matthew 11:28-30, Philippians 4:6-7). As our Heavenly Father, He desires to hear
from us! The Almighty God has granted us the opportunity to reach out to Him for
guidance and strength. In 1 Samuel 1: 10-11, we read of Hannah’s desperate plea to
have a child. Three separate times, Paul prayed that his infirmity be removed from him
(2 Corinthians 12: 8 -10). Our own Savior, Jesus Christ, went to God in prayer seeking
comfort on the night that He was betrayed (Matthew 26: 36-44). As children of God,
we can have confidence knowing that God hears our prayers – day or night, rain or
shine – and He will answer them in a way that will ultimately be what is best for us.
In closing, I leave you with these words from one of my all-time favorite hymns,
which so beautifully describes the spiritual gift of prayer:
“What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
oh, what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!” [1]
Endnotes
[1] What a Friend We Have in Jesus, Joseph M. Scriven, 1855