Read Psalm 19:7-14
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.—James 1:5 (NIV)
During my career I had the opportunity to give numerous presentations. Over the years I’ve also had the pleasure of giving the sermon at my church on many occasions, and the preparation process I used at work has helped me put together sermons as well.
Recently as I was getting ready to work on a new sermon, it dawned on me that I was overlooking the critical first step. I was immediately jumping into my standard preparation routine of coming up with a topic, working on the message, and then asking God to bless it. How much better it is to start off by consulting God in prayer, seeking God’s will, and asking for guidance, rather than just launching off on my own.
I believe the principle of first praying to God applies to any task or challenge we face. Instead of just jumping in and relying on our own efforts, we can make it a practice to start with prayer. The words from Proverbs offer good advice: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6).
Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for creating us to be in relationship with you. Help us always to seek your wisdom and your will for our lives. Amen.
Thought for the day: Today I will begin each new task with prayer.
John D. Brown, Minnesota
