How much time for you?

Do you pray?  Someone told me a long time ago that “one learns to pray by praying.”  Simple enough.  So do you pray?

I see pray as the most important action part of my life.  Some people think I pray a little weird at times, but at times it is all I got!!

About a year ago I was on a mission trip.  I was with two young ladies and we had been given the task to pressure wash a mobile home for a family in need.  The leaders of the trip, put the pressure washer in my car and off we went.  As we drove and came closer to our destination I became more frantic…I had NEVER used a pressure washer before!!  On top of that, it was a gas powered one (not sure they make electric ones..you know…water and electricity), and I have never been able to make a gas powered anything work!  And I am in charge!!

When we arrived I asked the young ladies, in a calm voice, if they knew how the pressure washer worked, more importantly, could they get it started.  Needless to say, they return blank stares as their response.

I looked over the machine and knew I was suppose to prime it (push some plastic button a few times) and fiddle with a few other things, and oh yeah…put gas in it.  I did all those things, while the girls watched, and then I looked at them and pulled the cord.  NOTHING!!  And I mean NOTHING happened.  I tried a few more timew with no response.

At this point I understood a couple of very important things:  1.  The girls were expecting me to know what I was doing.  2.  The people in this home were expecting that we knew what we were doing.  3.  I could not drive back to our base station and have someone start it for me.  4.  I needed help.

I hope my family is not reading this because what I have to say now is that you need to know that I am not a very patient person.  (I hate to admit that to them)  I want things to work, the way they are suppose to work, when they are suppose to work.  Period.  I really don’t think that is asking to much.  So here I am, with a pressure washer not working.  I knew I needed to keep my composure for everyone sake, so I looked at the girls, who were wondering what in the heck was going on and what they were going to do, and I said, “OK ladies, let’s take hands around the pressure washer and pray. ”

At first they just looked at me, but they could tell by the look on my face I was dead serious so we held hands around the pressure washer and I prayer these words, “God, we need your help.  This pressure washer won’t start and I don’t know what I am doing.  God you know the people in this house are counting on us and we don’t want to let them down.  We have done everything we know how, so we want you to start the pressure washer, not just this time, but every time we need it to start today.  No games, no sputtering, no pulling the cord over and over again.  We need you to do this…so get to work.  Amen.”

I could feel the girls looking at me during the pray, wondering what kind of a situation they had gotten themselves into, and who was this crazy lady who was suppose to be their leader.  When the prayer was finished I looked both the girls in the eyes, nodded my head and said, “Ok God, do your thing” pulled the cord and the pressure washer started.  Not a whimpy sputtery start, but with full gusto.  It was great, we all cheered and were jumping up and down holding on to one another.  We all said “Thank you God.”

For the remainder of the day, whenever we needed to restart the pressure washer, it started with conviction, and each time we thanked God.

So I ask you again…Do you pray?