Wide Awake - Finished

It took me a long time to get to finish this one, but last night, I finally did. With everyone out of the house, I was determined to read the last 10 or so pages. Now I can concentrate on David by Charles Swindoll that a dear friend of mine just gave me.

There were a few paragraphs I would like to share with you from my reading last night. I've been privileged the last week or so to talk with a handful of people who are searching for God's will in their life. What does he want them to do? How does He want them to serve? Check this out:

by Erwin McManus

In one sentence, God unwraps for us the power and significance of prayer: "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know." We think we know what prayer is, but I often wonder. For most of us prayer is when you ask God to solve your problems and tell God what you need and, of course, what you want.

Have you ever considered the possibility that how we pray and how we engage God is pretty much senseless? Do we really think God is saying, "Oh, thanks; I don't know how I missed that. Oh, you need a job? I thought you should be unemployed all your life. Oh, you want a wife? I was going to give you a poodle for Christmas. I'm so glad you're clearing everything up for me"?

When we pray, we act as if God has been missing the point the entire time. "This is what I need, so pay attention, God. Amen." That's not really what prayer is supposed to be about. God invites us to connect on a much more profound level. "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know."

This is what God is saying: The reason you need to be in conversation with me is that I created your imagination to be a playground where you and I can get together and I can blow your mind away. I'm going to stretch the boundaries of your dreams. Just ask me, and I will begin to share with you the dreams I have for your life and for all of humanity. You can talk to me about the small stuff, or you can listen to me, and I will let you in on what I am thinking. It's going to be big!

Remember Adam? He didn't say to God, "God, thanks for the elephants. They're really fun to ride. I'm not so sure about the rhinos; don't ever mount them from the front. God, thanks for everything, but I've got an idea. I need a woman! Koalas are cute, but they're a terrible date." Adam didn't have a clue. He couldn't even conceptualize a woman. God put him in a deep sleep. Why? Because God saw that it was not good for man to be alone. God knew something Adam needed. Something Adam didn't even know he needed. God knew what Adam would want, what Adam would need, something Adam couldn't even imagine.

...Isn't it possible that the life that your soul longs for is beyond even your imagination? Is it possible that no matter how big your dreams are, how expansive your imagination, how ambitious your goals, they pale in comparison to what you would begin to see for your life if you would invite God into your life conversation? He is saying to you, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things that you do not know."

I remember praying a similar prayer in 1998. I was feeling called to ministry, but didn't have a clue what God wanted me to do. In the midst of praying about ministry, I was a little torqued that someone I admired was marrying someone else. It was at that time that God spoke six simple words to me. "I have great things for you." I didn't know what that meant but I assumed it meant ministry. When I started a small group for single moms, I thought I had arrived at God's 'great things'. Little did I know that in 10 years, I would have gotten married to a wonderful, Godly man, been a church administrator, have a nearly remodeled house, be in a very good financial position, be starting our own church, and not have to work for anyone but my husband. I could easily say, these are God's 'great things', but I know better than to put him in a box like that. He may surely have other 'great things' down the road. His boundaries are endless.

Pray some dangerous prayers today. Seek God's will for you. He might very well surprise you with more than the desires of your heart and dreams. Blessings on this gorgeous Wednesday!