Prayerful Preparations

Last week Carmen made a brief mention about "praying" during preparations for Shabbat in her list of tips and it inspired me to share about that.

Being prayerful through my preparations makes a HUGE difference in what I do and how I do it. Many people think prayer must be done with eyes closed, while bowing one's head or kneeling by the bedside. Of course there is nothing wrong with that - those are wonderful practices! However, the kind of prayer I am talking about here is the daily operational prayer. Do you know what I mean? It is learning to walk and talk with YHVH so that we also see Him in our midst, in all the little things. He IS isn't He? This is a posture of prayer that I am so thankful that I have learned to "walk in". It is as constant state of listening...listening to the Holy Spirit (Ruach haKodesh). So often we view pray as what we say, ask or think, but there is a different kind of prayerfulness of which I speak. It is training ourselves to "be still and KNOW he is YHVH". I am talking about "knowing" in the Biblical Hebrew sense, in the most intimate way, even more so than a Husband "knows" a wife! The Holy Spirit "comes into us" us the Scripture says. We become Echad, ONE.

If I am in right standing with Him...(my conscience is clear, I hold no bitterness toward anyone, my focus is righteous and my "self" is set aside) than I can do this. I can hear. As I go through my day...YHVH steers me. Yes, I make plans and lists and menus and am deliberate with my own thoughts...however, I am always "LISTENING"ahead of those things. There have been so many times when YHVH corrects my course or shifts me a little to the left or right in the planning process of my week. There is a still small voice that speaks to me along the way. If I am listening (those how have ears let them hear) and want nothing more than to follow HIM, than I easily follow any course corrections He may whisper. Than I am not "rocked or rattled" when "surprises" arise (like I used to be) , rather, I just shift course knowing that He is in control and I and my family are covered. When I am "in tune" with YHVH in this way, I am incredibly productive, the children are in harmony and we walk in joy. Oh "things" may happen...but we just "roll with it" instead getting frustrated or fighting it or complaining or getting angry (which would be my "before" way). Really, it is learning to walk in a posture of thankfulness. YHVH continues to develop in me a servant's heart...this is something that my flesh fights and even despises at times...but YHVH is faithful to see it through. As I grow, those times become further and further apart, new habits are formed and my character in Him is developed further. (Halleluyah!)

YHVH is Sovereign and provides all we need everyday every week. The more I develop this habit of being "prayerful without ceasing" the more He transforms me and reveals Himself to me. It becomes a perpetually beautiful exercise. A dance between me and the Creator, a beautifully romantic waltz. The chores which I used to see as mundane, tedious or insignificant are becoming a delight that I look forward too, a privilege, an honor and a blessing.

I praise YHVH for teaching me how to be prayerful in preparations for Shabbat, and in my daily walk. I thank Him for teaching me, week after week how to walk closer with Him. I thank Him for turning my heart toward Him, my children, my husband, my home and giving me a compassion for others.

May you too, walk in His presence every day...as you practice listening and being steered by Him week after week. May He train us all to hear that still small voice that He has sent to guide us. May you be blessed by aligning yourself to the rhythm of His Creation in Shabbat and walk all His ways as He teaches you to fill your lamp and prepare for His final coming.

Preparing in the Light,

P.S. Thank you sweet Lusi for sharing your Preperation Day Picture (above) with me. I am going to use it for all of the "reflections" YHVH puts on my heart for this Preperation Day Linky.