Page 11 - Good News October 2006 paper

Prayer is the Christian's vital
breath. It keeps life from drying up
within us or from going bad. Life's
roads are as complex as the
spaghetti freeways in many of our
cities. We can very easily take a
wrong one through either care-
lessness, ignorance, or perhaps
even rebellion. We need to pray
constantly for direction - to pray
that God will save us from a life
that misses His direction for us.
We have this assuring promise:
"He leadeth me beside the still
waters. He restoreth my soul: He
leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for His Name's
sake" (Psalm 23:2-3). This He
does for us if we let Him. tance come with the assurance
Prayer leads us to look within that we may lean on Him through
ourselves and face the sins that every trial.
separate us from God and snarl Even as the Psalmist prayed, so
up our lives. Confession and can we: "Yea, though I walk
repentance are humbling and through the valley of the shadow
cleansing experiences. But once of death, I will fear no evil: for
on the Christian pathway, again Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy
and again we need to petition God staff they comfort me" (Psalm
for strength to resist the temp- 23:4).
tations of a materialistic world. Loneliness is among the most
Let us earnestly pray, "Lead us unbearable of all emotions. But
not into temptation, but deliver us the Christian can face the loss of
from evil " (Matthew 6:13). those nearest and dearest to him.
We live in an imperfect world He can be placed in an alien
because sin has made it so. Con- environment and yet find life
sequently, we come up against rewarding. In the midst of
problems and difficulties. We personal loss his life can flow out
experience fears, frustrations, in a benediction to others
suffering, sorrow, failure, and because of his companionship
death. At all times we stand in with the dear Lord, Who is nearer
need of prayer so that God will see to us than our life's breath!
us through. Courage and accep- - Selected