I used to be a computer repair engineer.

I would go out all over England, fixing PC’s like an IT superhero.

Every morning, I would call in to our head office and they would tell me where they wanted me to go that day and what they wanted me to do.

Whenever I had a problem I couldn’t fix, I’d call head office and there would be someone there who could help.

I would regularly call in to make sure I was on track and was going where they wanted me to and sometimes I would just call in to talk to someone. It can be pretty lonely out there when you have to drive 7 or 8 hours a day!

I knew that head office had what I needed and that I couldn’t successfully make it through my work day without them.

I was thinking about that the other day when I was thinking about prayer.

We have a ‘head office’ but how often do we ‘call-in’ to find out what the Boss wants us to do? How often do we check that we are heading the right direction? how often do we call the helpdesk when we need help? How often are we just too busy?

God is the ultimate source of guidance and help. He knows His good and perfect plan for us and He knows what the right thing for us to do is every day, in every situation – but how often do we take time to listen to Him?

Do you start your day in prayer? Do you know every day that you are stepping out in the direction God is sending you? Do you truly go to Him for help in times of trouble? And, when you do, do you listen to His advice?

We have become experts in avoiding  and ignoring God in all but the most difficult of circumstances. Does our awesome and loving creator really have that little to offer us?

Try this: Spend ten minutes (more if you want) in prayer every morning for 10 days. Spend at least half of that time being quiet and ‘listening’ to God. Then, as you go through the day, think about what it was you heard, or what thoughts came into your head while you were praying.

After 10 days, if your relationship with God and your sense of purpose and direction in your day have not improved – please come back here and post a comment.

I’m confident that no-one will come back and comment anything negative – because God promises that if you seek Him, He will answer.

If you would like to know more about prayer and how to do it, I thoroughly recommend:

Too Busy Not to Pray: Slowing Down to Be With God by Bill Hybels