Tag: prayer

Job 13:20-21 – Pray Anyway

by northwestjim, posted in Garden Moments

What do you say to God when your life has collapsed and the answers are nowhere to be found? Job shows us that sometimes faith is not about clarity, but about refusing to walk away even when nothing makes sense.

Job 13:20–21
“Only two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:
Remove Your hand from me,
And let not the dread of You terrify me.”

When suffering reaches its breaking point, the most courageous prayer may simply be the decision to keep speaking to God.

Job 13:20–21 lifts my eyes because it shows that prayer can survive even when life feels shattered. By this point in the story, Job has lost nearly everything that once gave him security. His children are gone, his possessions are gone, his body is failing, and even his closest relationships offer little comfort. Yet in the middle of that devastation, Job still turns toward God instead of away from Him.

What encourages me is how modest and relational Job’s request is. He does not demand answers or insist on immediate relief. He asks for only two things. He wants God’s hand lifted enough that he can endure the weight of suffering, and he wants God’s presence to be experienced without paralyzing fear. Job is not asking God to leave him alone. He is asking for enough mercy to stay engaged in the relationship.

This passage reminds me that faith does not always sound confident. Sometimes faith sounds like honesty mixed with hope. Job openly admits that God feels overwhelming, yet he still believes God is the one worth talking to. What Job fears most is not pain or death, but separation. He is afraid that God might abandon him, and just as afraid that he might abandon God. That tension reveals a deep and resilient trust.

I find great comfort in knowing that God receives this kind of prayer. Scripture does not silence Job’s words or correct his tone. Instead, it preserves his prayer as an example of devotion that endures under pressure. God allows room for prayers that ask for gentleness, space, and courage.

This humble posture reshapes the way I pray in hard seasons. I do not have to understand what God is doing in order to stay connected to Him. I can ask for relief without surrendering trust. Like Job, I can say, I do not understand where we are right now or where this is going, but I am choosing to stay with You. That choice, repeated day after day, becomes a quiet and hopeful act of worship.

Psalm 91:1 – Secret Places

by northwestjim, posted in Thought For The Day

Psalms 91:1
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

A classic.
A favorite.

I love “secret place of the Most High.” in Hebrew, it is the MISTAR ELYON (intimate location), a place where barriers are removed, where distractions are minimized, where nothing else matters.

That the CREATOR of everything would join me in such a place is mind-blowing.

It could be a closet, a chair, a particular park bench… or a place within. Someplace it is just YOU and GOD.

We are told that those who spend time there enjoy the “shadow of the All Mighty.”
Protection.
Comfort.
Security.

Looking to abide in the SHADOW OF THE ALL MIGHTY.

Isiah 54:13 – Father’s Day

by northwestjim, posted in Thought For The Day

Happy Father’s Day!

Isiah 54:13
“All your sons will be taught of the LORD; And the well-be ing of your sons will be great.

I’m a dad of two great boys.
I embrace and delight in that role.

I never really “got” this until I was a dad myself.

But bottom line, I’m glad there is a Great Teacher/ Abba:

  • Who loves my kids…
  • Who draws them to Himself…
  • Who nurtures and protects them…

It’s my nightly prayer
It’s my comfort and hope.

Connecting to God by Praying in the Spirit

by northwestjim, posted in Garden Moments

We want to connect with God, but what is Praying in the Spirit? It might not be what we tend to think it is.

The Bible, in Ephesians 6:17–18, invites us to “take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” But what exactly does it mean to pray “in the Spirit”?

While some might connect this to speaking in tongues, it’s more likely that Paul had a broader, more foundational meaning in mind. Rather than just one method among many, praying “in the Spirit” is presented as the very essence of how we truly connect with God.

Consider Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman by the well in John 4. When she brought up the historical disagreement about where to worship, Jesus shared a profound truth: “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (John 4:23). This isn’t about worshipping anywhere sincerely; it’s a beautiful revelation that only those who have received the Holy Spirit can genuinely worship God. It’s through the Spirit, and by His guidance, that our worship—and our prayers—become truly pleasing to Him.

Paul further clarifies this in Romans 8:15-16, reminding us, “You did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” God has generously given us His Spirit, and it’s this Spirit within us that empowers us to call out to Him, even and especially when we feel weak (v 26).

This is also why, as 1 Corinthians 12:3 says, “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.” While anyone can speak those words, truly understanding and embracing their meaning comes from the Spirit’s work in our lives. In the same way, our ability to pray stems from our adoption into God’s family and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So, as you come to God in prayer today—perhaps even right now—and lovingly call Him “Father,” you are truly “praying in the Spirit.” Trust in the Spirit who lives within you by faith. He will be there to help you, to prompt you, to guide you, and to fill you with the wonderful, undeserved joy of speaking to the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, knowing you can call Him your “Abba, Father.”