I don't do a lot of things anymore ...

I used to pray and read my bible religiously ... but not any more. Galatians 3:3 says "... After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" That sounds pretty good to me!

I actually don't pray anymore, but I do talk with God like I would talk with anybody else. Yes, He talks with me too. Sometimes, He points at something as I pass by in my life. He says, "Hey, Rod! Look at this! Do you see what I see?" Sometimes I think He's just playing with my mind, but then, as my eyes focus, I really do see what He sees. For example, just the other day, I was gazing out our living room window at a number of small birds - swallows, I believe - when suddenly, a squirrel scurries along a stone path with an apple in its mouth. Then a motion caught my attention ... out at the end of our driveway was a deer slowly walking along. Just think, right in the middle of my mindless viewing, God shows me a veritable zoo! A zoo! Right in my front yard.

So, what does that have to do with praying and reading? Well, He showed me that His world is alive! I'm part of His world and He breathes life into me as well. It says in Philipians 2:13 (AMP) [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you - energizing and creating in you the power and desire - both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

He desires to be a God of life, not death. He wants to show me life ... so in the midst of a cool fall day, he showed me how much life there was right in my own front yard! So, I've found that praying and reading is somewhat boring compared to the living relationship that I have with Jesus. He and I interact on such a different level than when I simply pray and read out of rote, out of duty.

His Word says that He is "energizing and creating" me ... for what? For "His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight" ... that sounds a whole lot more interesting than just sitting around praying and reading. You might try it sometime. Blessings!