Stop! Start with Prayer

Philippians 4 v 6

Let your requests be made known to God

I don’t have a green house.  I have a small kitchen table in front a sunny windowsill.  In March this year I started to plant some seeds in some seeding compost, in seed trays, on in the sunlight.   I watered them, and watched for signs of life.  By April the seedlings were growing and ready to go out in pots in the ground.  I was excited and ready to go.  I had places were some could go outside and was ready to get to action.

Then I stopped.  I came across a prayer of blessing for gardens.  It was simple and focused.  It prayed for flower beds, for vegetable and fruit, for the compost heap, for the place where people would gather and sit and talk.  I realised that before I planted anything, I would pray.  I followed the prayer.  Reading the words.  Asking God’s blessing and direction on where and what to plant.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.

I had a bumper crop this year.  May have been the care and attention we gave the plants.  I think it was more down to the prayer of blessing.  Asking God the Gardener to bless this little patch of mine.

This reminded me how sometimes in life I can be too eager to launch out, full of good intention, and not stop to pray, to ask His blessing and guidance.  Sometimes I have just forgotten.  Sometimes I have felt I haven’ t the time to pray ‘properly’.  To read up on all the right scriptures and do it ‘right’.  Funny eh?  This year I just stood by some empty ground and read out a few prayers, asking Him to bless.  Not working myself up.  A simple request, in line with his Word.  I think He was listening.

• What stops you praying before you do something?
• What is the benefit of asking for God to bless what you do?
• What are you planning to do next in your garden of life.  Talk to God about it …now.