Stay Alert!

November 12, 2026

Stay Alert!

Prayer is not complicated to understand nor difficult to practice.

+Prayer takes a place where you can have some space to engage in a conversation with Jesus.

+Prayer takes a time where you set aside many of the cares of the world so you can focus on the things of God’s kingdom.

+Prayer requires paying attention to something or someone beyond yourself so you can pay attention to what Jesus is saying and doing.

There is a great deal more I could say about prayer. But suffice it to say, prayer is mostly about engaging in a conversation with Jesus.

Our conversation with Jesus can include adoration and reverence for the Lord as well as confession and asking for forgiveness. Our conversation can also include asking the Lord to help and heal other people as well as being still in the presence of the Lord. Our conversation with Jesus can include waiting on the Lord and listening for Jesus to speak to us.

The Apostle Paul calls the Christ-followers in first century Colossae to devote themselves to prayer, especially prayers of thanksgiving. In Colossians 4:2 the Apostle Paul writes; “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.” 

The invitation is to devote ourselves, dedicate ourselves, and commit ourselves to prayer. A conversation with Jesus is not going to happen unless and until we set aside time for that conversation to occur. I know when I want to call someone who I know has a very busy schedule, I often set a time for our conversation to occur.

We can do the same with our conversation with Jesus. I can set 6:00 a.m. or during my lunch break or after my evening meal or at bedtime to have a conversation with Jesus. I can also reserve more than one time per day as an appointment to engage in prayer.

In addition to setting a time for a conversation with a friend, I often set a place for that conversation to happen. Maybe it is at their home, maybe at a coffee shop, or at lunch at a little café. It is helpful to determine not only what time but also where the conversation will occur.

We can do the same with our conversation with Jesus. I can set aside a space at the kitchen table, in the study, or in a chair in the bedroom. I have found a conversation with Jesus can happen at a picnic table in a park, on a trail during a hike, or on a leisurely stroll in the neighborhood. I will often benefit by setting a place for my conversation with Jesus to occur.

Paul lets us in on a little secret about prayer. He says that when we offer prayers of thanksgiving, our praise and gratitude help us to keep alert while we are praying. When I offer my gratitude to the Lord, I pay more attention to the Lord; i.e., His presence, His power, His provision, His promises as well as His grace, His mercy, and His love.

I invite you to set a time and establish a place for your prayer time each day for the next 21 days. Do your best to keep that commitment to engage in conversation with Jesus. In addition to whatever you would like to discuss with Jesus, do your best to also include expressions of thanksgiving, praise, and gratitude in your conversation.

Paul understood that when we devote ourselves to prayers that include thanksgiving, our hearts will fill more and more with delight in the Lord. Jesus is always ready to listen, always ready to speak, and always ready to just be with you in silence.

Jesus loves you. Jesus cares about what you care about. Jesus is with you today.  

Take Delight In The Lord!

Doug