Don’t Leave Home Without Praying

No matter what happens in the morning, I have decided I will not leave home without praying. A recent incident reinforced that decision.

I believe I must not leave home without praying to God. Why? Because I want Him to know I put Him first, and because I greatly appreciate His protection and help.

Another Minnesota winter morning

Last week, on another winter morning in Minnesota, I was driving down the well-lit neighborhood street around 6:30 a.m. The lady at the bus stop was there as usual, and the snow-covered streets were just beginning to come alive with the morning traffic.

As I approached the freeway underpass, the light at the intersection turned yellow. Already traveling at a slow speed due to the slippery road conditions, I applied the brake in anticipation of the red light. To my horror, my car kept going!

I begged God in silent prayer to help me to be able to stop my car! I quickly realized that my car was not going to stop before entering the intersection. A quick look to my left, and I took note of the city bus stopped at the freeway exit, with passengers mounting the steps to get in. I made a quick decision to accelerate and get through the intersection before anyone could come and collide with me.

A split second later, heart pounding, I was safely through the intersection. I quickly thanked God for His protection, still shaken by the experience that I just had.

Analyzing the experience

It wasn’t until later in the day that I evaluated what had happened. I was glad I decided not to leave home without praying for God’s protection, and I was deeply thankful that He answered those prayers!

Praying to God is an important part of building a relationship with Him.

What does a friendship require?

Think of the friendships that you have. Chances are good that they are give-and-take relationships. You are there for your friends when they need you, and they are there for you when you need them.

Your conversations revolve around mutual interests. At times, the conversations revolve around your friend, and at other times they revolve around you. It is not a one-sided exchange.

If you ignore your friend’s concerns and only talk about yourself, you may see his or her interest in you diminish over time, and the relationship may not survive.

My friendship with God

I believe these principles apply to my relationship with God. Am I doing what I can to build my friendship with God? Am I maintaining what I have already built?

The principle of friendship is emphasized in Proverbs 18:24: “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Maintaining my friendship with God should be my highest priority! I must talk to Him in prayer every day.

For more about prayer, see the article “How to Pray” on the Life, Hope & Truth website.

Barbara Lee attends the Twin Cities, Minnesota, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, and works as an IT business analyst in the financial services industry. She is a musician and an exercise enthusiast in her free time.