Heavenly Father I come to You daily and bring You petitions for others and for myself. I realize the importance of prayer and how it builds a relationship between You and I. I also know that prayer is what starts and builds my faith and is the way for the Holy Spirit to work in my life. Most of all, I understand that prayer must be a two-way process, I need to listen as much as I talk.
Holy Spirit help me to be like Habakkuk and say, “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the watchtower; and I will keep watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am reproved.” [Habakkuk 2:1] Help me to understand that even the disciples had to be reminded to stop and listen, like when they were on the mountain and Christ was transfigured before them and suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Christ. And Peter, being Peter felt he needed to talk when God said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.” When the disciples hear this, they fell on their faces and were filled with awe. [Matthew 17:1-6] I want to be in awe because I listen to You and hear Your voice.
Holy Spirit it is written, “Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they communed and reasoned together, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. He said to them, “What kind of communication are you sharing with one another while you are walking and are sad?” One of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, “Are You the only foreigner in Jerusalem who does not know what has happened there in these days?” He said to them, “What things?” They said to Him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth. Who was a prophet, powerful in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death and crucified Him? But we were hoping that it was He who was to redeem Israel. Moreover, today is the third day since these things happened. Even some women from among us, who arrived early at the tomb, surprised us. When they did not find His body, they returned saying that had seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive. Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said. But they did not see Him.” He said to them, “O fools! And slow of heart to believe what the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for Christ to suffer these things and to enter His glory?”…Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him. And He vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the way and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” [Luke 24:13-32]
Holy Spirit I want to feel the burning in my heart when You speak to me either verbally, in my spirit or through Your word. Teach me to be a better listener than a talker. Help me to listen to You, my wife, my family, my friends, and all the people You bring into my life.
For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21