Praying With Heart

When I was watching the news the other day my heart was aching for the young men and women that have fallen in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am not an intercessor and seldom seem to find the words I am feeling in my heart to cry out to God for their pain, their lives, their very souls...the family anticipating the homecoming at the end of the deployment only to be shocked and lost at the news of their loved one not coming home at all or coming home wounded by the physical, emotional and mental scars of war.
I have discovered lately that God doesn't need the words we bring to prayer as much as He longs for us to just bring our hearts to Him...open....broken...before the throne. Whether or not we utter a single word aloud, He hears and answers our prayers. Sometimes we don't understand the answer or it doesn't come when or how we think it should, but you can be sure that it does come.
Try it as you lay your head down tonight on your pillow...before you drift off to sleep, even after you have had your quiet time or devotionals with your family. Just rest in the knowledge that the Lord hears the heart of your prayers as well as your words.

"God of peace, guard the hearts and minds of our soldiers in Christ Jesus. Help them to cast every anxious feeling on You so that they can experience Your rest. Help them to fall asleep quickly and let their sleep be recuperative even if it is short in duration. As they deal with inconsistencies in sleep times, shift changes, temperature and environment, keep them from feeling stress; help them to adjust. We speak 'peace, be still' over each and every soldier. (Philippians 4:7; 1 Peter 5:7; Mark 4:39)" Sandra Higley