Hem Our Days in Prayer

“Bring them here to me.” Matthew 14:18

The story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes is one of our favorites and has been told so many times. We see Jesus who feels compassion for the crowd, and asks His disciples not to send them away, but to “give them some food yourselves.” They are overwhelmed because all they have is five loaves and two fishes. 

Many times we have felt our own lack of resources, and been frustrated and overwhelmed as well. What do we do? Do we only turn to God as a last resort? Shouldn’t we go to Him first? When we wake up in the morning, do we present to Him whatever we have in our hands? It may not even be five loaves and two fishes. It may be one loaf. It may be ten minutes before we have to rush with our morning routine to get to work on time. It may be a smile on our weary face and a prayer as we greet our patients, because we barely got any sleep during night shift. It may be a grateful list of thank yous for ordinary days with no mishaps or disasters. Or it could even be a whispered ‘please be with me today’. Whatever we bring to God, He will multiply, and use to bless others. 

We need God beside us. The poem “Invictus” which many people have memorized, goes like this:

“It matters not how strait the gate,  

How charged with punishments the scroll,  

I am the master of my fate:  

I am the captain of my soul.”

It was written by William Ernest Henley. Many people want to feel invincible, but it’s just not possible. When the British author’s six year old daughter got sick, he started to realize that no, he was not master or captain of his life. When she died, he was heartbroken and completely lost his bravado. 

Billy Graham said, “In the morning, prayer is the key that opens to us the treasures of God’s mercies and blessings; in the evening, it is the key that shuts us up under His protection and safeguard.” So let us always hem our days, our families, our country in prayer, knowing Jesus always welcomes our prayers and offerings to Him.