What if we heeded the words spoken in 1 Chronicles and we committed ourselves to prayer? Real prayer. Not someone else’s prayer, but the pouring out of our own transparent hearts. When was the last time you were blatantly transparent before the Lord in prayer?

We’re willing to banter, argue, speak up and debate with each other, but do we even consider having those kinds of conversations with the Lord? The ones that hurt. The ones that are hard to even get out. The ones, if we’re honest, we’d rather not have. I might be going out on a limb here speaking for God, but I imagine that He would rather hear the real, raw cry of our hearts over a manufactured, rapid fire prayer any day.

We’re willing to collectively yell at our chosen sports events such that there is no doubt where our allegiance lies and yet when it comes to prayer we often become silenced.

In lieu of an election (regardless of the results last night), a super storm that has inconvencienced millions and the current turmoil in the world, it’s as good of a time as any to look at how we pray to the One who holds the world in His hands.

It’s incredible really. Incredible to see the transformation that the world undergoes during the changing of the seasons. The hues of green morph into shades of reds, oranges and yellows that announce the transformation before our eyes. Isn’t that what the presence of Christ produces in us? The shades that we once were are replaced with new and vibrant shades of ourselves that the world has never seen.

Can you see the transformation? Can others see the Jesus transformation in you?

How are we doing? The early church set the standard for us, even today, centuries removed. It’s simple really and yet we seem to, at least in the American church, make it so complicated. A bit convicting perhaps.

The basics. The early church.

As a new school year begins and a new season is on the verge of emerging, may we too press on…