The Countdown Begins

In just over a week's time I'll be going into hospital for yet another operation on my knee. This time, it is for the resurfacing of my kneecap. There is a lot pinning on this operation. I am hoping and praying that this will be my final operation, certainly for a number of years anyway!

So, how am I feeling about this operation? Well, I'm both excited and nervous at the same time. This operation has the potential to give me a near enough pain free life for a number of years but in the back of my mind there is also a knowledge that it may not work and might not make me as pain free as I hope it will. In all this though, God is still God and his promises don't change so I just have to trust that whatever happens, it is within His plan for my life. I am reminded again of the verse that I have held onto throughout this journey:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 (NIV)

I just have to trust that God has my best interests at heart and the bridge of one of my favourite songs at the moment says that if our God is for us, then who could stand against us, so I go into this operation knowing that whatever happens it'll be within God's plan for my life and that He already knows what the outcome is going to be.

Two Way Traffic

I saw a road sign on my way home last night that I have passed many times before but last night it got me thinking. Here is a picture of it.

It means two way traffic straight ahead.   It got me thinking about prayer and how it's not a one way thing. It's not just about us talking to God and telling him what we want and need but also about God speaking to us.

In John 10 verses 27-28 Jesus says:

"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand." (NIV) 

 How often do I spend time listening to God? The answer is not as much as I should.  It is all to easy to just think of prayer as a one-way street where we just tell God everything that has gone wrong and what we think He should be doing but don't wait around long enough to hear his answer.  Doesn't make for a great relationship does it. If I treated my friends in this way I'm sure they would have a thing or two to say about it but God doesn't, He gently finds ways to remind us that prayer can and should be two-way traffic.

God is interested in every detail of your life, even the parts you think he might not care about. Prayer isn't about us getting what we want, it is about God's will being done.  A quote from John Piper says:

"God is most glorified when we are most satisfied".

Psalm 37 verse 4 says:

"Take delight in The Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (NIV)

It is often the case that when we spend time with God getting to know Him, our desires change to become His desires.  We begin to pray more for His will to be done rather for every thing for our own benefit.  We begin to see things from His perspective. 

We're doing a series at church at the moment on prayer.  This has got me thinking and realising that it's not about how we pray but who we pray to and that even if we don't know what to say, God knows what we need and He wants our hearts and a relationship with us.

My challenge is to spend more time listening and just being with God than filling all the silences with my voice!