Daily devotional, June 14, 2024 Meaningful Conversations
“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
James 5:3
One of the most meaningful conversations any person can have are the no holds-barred and distraction-free banter at home, just right before bed. Asians like us are used to having the whole family sleep in one room even if we have separate rooms, either because we enjoy each other’s company or we want to save on air conditioning costs, or both. It is also practical for young families since it is easier to co-sleep with babies and very young children.
And it is in this setting where happy midnight or early morning conversations take place. Personally, as a kid, I wake up to hearing my dad and mom talking about everything under the sun — my dad’s work. what happened at home etc. etc.
As a parent, I find myself having meaningful conversations with the children after we say our bedtime prayers and right before we close our eyes. They ask a lot of questions, and I have to come up with a lot of answers. Some simple, some profound, others meanwhile require me to think back into my younger years. Either way, I am more than happy to be discussing anything my children wanted to talk about, and hearing about their days in school or random stories about their friends as if our daytime conversations are not yet enough 🙂
These exchanges bring us closer together, because it reveals our character to each other. It reveals our innermost thoughts and expectations. And as followers of Jesus, we have to keep these conversations up with our families, and include God and the Bible as a normal part of our home discussions.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." Deuteronomy 6:5-7
Our Heavenly Father also longs to have meaningful conversations with us. It is through our conversations with Him that we get to know Him more, and we get to cement our bond with Him.
Such conversations can happen throughout the day as we commune with Him, and find Him in our day to day lives. It also happens as we pray to Him during our quiet time in the morning, and our bedtime prayers at night.
"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud,to those who go astray after a lie!"
Psalm 40:4
When we call on God for anything and everything, we deepen our dependence on Him. We glorify His name and honor His sovereignty because through our deepest prayers to Him we acknowledge that everything is in His hands.
"Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
Jeremiah 33:3
And what is wonderful about having conversations with the Lord is that we can come to Him anytime. No need to set an appointment, no need to ask for whomever’s permission, no special equipment needed, and no need for too much formalities. We can talk in whatever language we are comfortable with, and it is okay whether we want to pray for five minutes, 50 minutes, or more.
"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
Matthew 6:6-8
Deep conversations are for us to enjoy when we are rejoicing, and to comfort us when we are in grief. It is meant to channel our thanksgiving to the Lord and to other people who have helped us out. It is also meant to vent our fears, frustrations, and worries.
Meaningful conversations with God and others are also available to us so that we can receive comfort and assurance from the Lord, and from the people He has blessed us with to journey with in this lifetime. And as always, these meaningful exchanges are a gift of God for us to have with Him, and with the other loves of our lives.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:6-7
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Matthew 6:5-14 and Psalm 17:6-9 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you have meaningful conversations with God and others?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father thank you for giving me people in my life whom I can have meaningful conversations with. Thank you as well for allowing me to draw near you in prayer. Knowing that You listen to me and you are concerned with me is a big assurance for me that I will be okay as I face my day-to-day challenges. Amen.
