Talking to Jesus

Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His presence continually! – Psalm 105:4 (ESV)

This Christmas morning, while placing gifts under the tree, my mind was flooded with memories of when my kids were little. When the wonder of Santa’s arrival caused little feet to hit the floor, then wiggle and dance at the top of the stairs long before sunrise. Now, I can barely drag their feet out of bed before 10:00am. 

Waiting for my kids to wake up this year, I spent some time alone reading Talking To Jesus by my friend Jeannie Blackmer. From the first page, Jeannie’s gifted storytelling immediately transported me into stories from the Bible that, although familiar, are infused with new dimension, depth, and clarity.

In Talking To Jesus, Jeannie uses personal encounters with Jesus from the book of Matthew to draw us into their story and make captivating connections to our own lives. She tears down the notion that prayer is formal or formatted, and encourages us to pray to Jesus in a fresh new way.

Prayer, she says, is simply “talking to Jesus anytime, anywhere, about anything.” 

In Talking To Jesus we discover people we can relate to, who stretch our thoughts about what praying to Jesus looks and sounds like. We encounter, up close and personal:

• Simon The Leper experiencing sorrowful days of rejection and isolation. When Jesus reaches out and touches “the untouchable” Simon, we’re reminded that nothing we have done or will do can ever separate us from the love of God through Christ Jesus. Simon asked Jesus for His powerful cleansing touch, and so can we. 

• A Roman officer courageously seeking Jesus for help because his dear servant is deathly ill. One man’s confidence and faith in Jesus reminds to us to pray for our loved ones who are physically, mentally, or spiritually hurting. The officer believed that Jesus could heal with simply a word, and so can we.

• A desperate mother pleading with Jesus to save her daughter from a demon’s torture. Discouraged from approaching Jesus by His disciples, she pushed through her personal fears and demonstrated persistent, persuasive, and non-stop prayer. As love propelled this woman to pursue Jesus, it calls us to do the same. 

Later that morning, watching my three teen children open their presents, I was encouraged by Talking To Jesus to consistently pray in the midst of wrapping paper and family chatter. Gratitude, like the fresh layer of snow outside, blanketed our morning and my heart.

My raw prayers to Jesus sounded something like this:

Just like Simon the Leper, thank you Jesus for cleansing me from all my past mistakes, especially the ones that brought shame, isolation or rejection into my heart. I love you more knowing no one is ever off limits to You.

Just like the Roman officer, thank you Jesus for hearing my cries for help and healing when people I love are suffering from sickness, disease, and pain. My faith is stronger because You are mighty to save. 

And closest to my heart is the desperate mother. Thank you Jesus for hearing my non-stop prayers for my children. When they’ve been lost, you’ve found them and brought them home. When our dreams were dashed, you gave us hope. When the despair was dark and the road unknown, you made a way and you’ll do it again. You’ve caught every tear and never left me in my sadness or disappointment. I trust you because I’ve seen you do the impossible. Thank you for loving my children even more than I do. 

Jeannie describes praying to Jesus as a constant communication that “can become as natural and necessary as every breath you take every moment you’re alive.” She’s so right. Talking to Jesus is simple, yet so profound for our faith journey. It has been an anchor of hope to my soul through both the calm and the storms.

You can start today…share your cares, concerns, compassions, and challenges with the One who is available anytime, anywhere. Just talk to Jesus and discover a fresh approach to prayer. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement