In the same way, to stay spiritually strong and healthy, we need an intake of spiritual food. Just as it is important to start the day with a good breakfast, in the same way, we should begin the day with good and healthy spiritual food.
In the busy lifestyle in Singapore, we often rush to start the day, be it in school, at work or in taking care of the household chores. Many a time, we neglect the most important thing, which is to start the day with God.
Let us take time to start our day with God. One feasible way is to rise an hour before your normal start of the day. Let us spend time in reading the bible, meditating on God’s word, allowing God to speak to our heart and applying God’s truth to our life. Listen to the still small voice. Let us not rush to start the day without first spending time with God. A morning intake of God’s word will remind and help us through our day.
We need to spend much time in prayer to keep us spiritually healthy. Oftentimes, we rush through our prayer time. May I encourage you to take a step back to spend quality time in prayer at the start of each day. Pray not just for your own needs and those of your family, but also for the needs of others and the church ministry. God has reminded us to pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Let us learn to bring our needs and the needs of others before God. God has instructed us to come boldly before him with our needs. God promises that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory. Hebrews 4:16 “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Our Lord Jesus himself spent much time in prayer during his earthly ministry, as we read in Luke 5:16, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 6:12, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.”
We need to understand the power of prayer. Prayer will give us victory to overcome our sinful habits and the world with its temptations, and power to live for Him each day.
King Hezekiah was very sick and near death. Yet, he cried earnestly to God in prayer. God heard his prayer and extended his life for another 15 years: 2 Kings 20:1-6,
“In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ‘Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: ‘Go back and tell Hezekiah, the ruler of my people, this is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’”
Let us not underestimate the power of prayer. It is by prayer that will move the heart of God to act on our behalf. Let us take our bible reading and prayer life seriously. This will ensure we will live a strong and vibrant Christian life!