God is everywhere among us. He visits new places with us. He guides us during our hardest times. He is there with us whenever we celebrate our milestones. Put it simply, God is with us through both our good and bad times.
It is essential that as Christians following the faith, we should honor God in everything we do. We should avoid doing things that have a huge chance of offending him. Most of all, we must take all chances we can get to deepen our bond with him. How do we do this? We can take inspiration from the stories found in Judith Martin Alford’s storybook about relationship with God called “The Hands of God.”
In the book, we can find both fascinating and exciting stories that prove the presence of God. These stories come from all walks of life, proving that God does not discriminate, even between the sinners and the saint. He is there for the virtuous, wherein he continues to inspire them to do good every single day. He is also there for the criminal, the miscreant, as he guides them back to the right path.
There are a lot of short stories in the book that deals with God’s intervention in the lives of some of us. More often than not, these lives are forever changed by these encounters. These people become blessed with an experience that not only solidified their faith in the Christian religion but in the very existence of God as well.
The book is both a guide and a motivation for others to talk and communicate with God more. Before Jesus, God’s son ascended back into heaven; he left us with the ability to speak to him. He emphasized the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells in each and everyone one of us and whose power fills us; he told us that the most effective way to talk to Him is through prayers. Chief among these is the Lord’s Prayer, which He thought to His disciples when they asked Him how to pray.
Prayer as a Tool for Communication
Prayer is an essential tool for those wanting to deepen their relationship with God. Prayer is, after all, our ritual and tradition to open up a covenant with God. Among all the traditions and rituals in Christianity, it is the easiest. The first step basically just involves the will to take time and talk with God himself.
Prayer also comes in different forms. We already talked about the Lord’s Prayers, which is one of the most basic yet most genuine and complete prayers available to us. However, aside from starting with the words “Our Father…”, God also allows us to begin our prayers however we want them to. Prayers can be said in the form of an intercession, wherein we ask God to bless us or our fellowmen, in our endeavors. It is a direct appeal to God.
Though we are able to speak to God, it does not mean that we can always get what we pray for. As Christians, God knows best, and sometimes what is best for us is not the one we are asking for. However, our faith should not falter if God does not answer our prayers. It just means that he has something better in store for us, or now is not the time. We must never forget that “God moves in mysterious ways.” We should trust in the process.
Should God grant us our prayers, we should not forget to say thanks. In the excitement of things, a simple prayer of gratitude is often overlooked. Just as God, our Father, did not forget or ignore our prayers, it is also important to say our thanks.
Lastly, there is the prayer asking for forgiveness. As imperfect beings, it Is unavoidable that we sin. To continue to live a holy life, it is crucial to ask for forgiveness whenever we do so and try as much as possible to avoid sinning again.
Read more stories about people’s relationship with God through Judith Martin Alford’s Book “The Hands of God.” Please find out more about the book by visiting the author’s website.