Prayer Resuscitates

November 3

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2

A leaky toilet has brought damage to our bathroom. Yesterday, I waited for two delivery trucks, a plumber and an electrician who all said they were coming. One delivery truck came and no one else. The frustration level was high and the day felt wasted. The other episode of waiting was on more of an emotional level. A dear friend's eleven month old grandson was undergoing a biopsy to see if he has a brain tumor. She called once to say the surgery had been delayed and then the second call came with the news he did in fact have a tumor.

This sweet family has lived out Colossians 4:2 for several months now and even with this news this grandmother was trusting in the Lord to be her strength and to stay thankful.

Feeling like Pigpen in the Peanuts Cartoon, I, on the other hand, allowed a cloud to come over me and suffocate my joy. There is an online devotional called Wisdom Hunters and today’s message held within it an excellent word picture. The phrase “resuscitated by our Savior Jesus” places a powerful image in our minds for us to be able to pull up when we feel as if we are being suffocated. It continued:

But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2

The raging waves of the world’s worries crash against the shore of our soul... Life is loud, and, sometimes, its deafening tones tune out our trust in God. Only in silence can our soul be resuscitated by our Savior Jesus. He works wonders when we wait before Him. We are clamorous without Christ, but by grace our soul is subdued and soothed. Calm and contentment come forth by faith, when we are stilled and quieted before Christ. One example is the emotional word picture of parental love.

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem (Isaiah 66:13)