“Walking Stick” Prayers
In addition to “we” prayers, I love to use “walking stick” prayers as I go about my day.
A walking stick is something that you lean on for support and strength. And here’s what I’ve learned – I need support and strength throughout the day!
We Need Support
Some people accuse Christians of being weak and using religion as a crutch. I confess – I am weak! I need something stronger than me to help me through my day! GOD is that thing that is stronger, and I am happy to lean on Him.
In fact He encourages it. There’s a classic hymn called “Leaning On the Everlasting Arms”. It comes from a verse in Deuteronomy: “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27 NIV11)
You can lean on God, His arms are under you supporting and strengthening you.
But how do you make this a reality? How do you actually lean on God – he’s not a physical person right here, these are all spiritual realities we are talking of.
For me, walking stick prayers are the way I do it. All through the day, I will pull out a prayer – usually from Scripture – to ‘lean on’.
In other words, I remind myself of a truth that God has given me, or a promise that God have given me and I am reassured and strengthened and supported by those words. They become like a walking stick for me to lean on.
Coming Back to that Scripture
Let me give you an example. I wrote this message on a Monday morning. And when we woke up that day, Shereen and I sat down to do our Bible in 2 years readings, and one verse really caught me from Psalm 16:8 “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
I took note of that verse. And all through the day I came back to it. Whenever my faith began to waver, or temptations came, or frustrations came, I whipped out the walking stick and leaned on those words: “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” And wow. They helped so much!
I know that many of you read the Bible each day. And you probably get daily devotions from a variety of places. And you probably get inspirational videos from various people. And you probably see Christian pictures and verses all over your social media.
Well friends every day pick one! Just one! And let that be your walking stick for the day!!! There is such power in the Word of God to sustain you and strengthen you and support you, but so often we take in 1000 different messages a day and let them go in one ear and out the other.
Yes I believe that they all have a little impact but take one as a walking stick and revisit it through the day. This will give you great strength to get through whatever comes your way.
