731 - Look (and pray) Before You Leap or You Might End Up in a Heap!

Just last night we were at the ball park just hanging out and watching games.  I guess we don't get to be there enough with the 5 different teams my kids play on so we thought we would take in some more.  (It is actually much less stressful watching someone else's kid.)  The weather was nice and the kids were getting worn out - good thing!  

We had to cross one inside park road to get to another ball field.  Elleigh was up ahead of us just talking to all the birds and bugs - really anything whether it talked back or not.  Getting right up close to this road we had to cross, Elleigh darted across the street without looking either way for cars and abruptly stopped on the other side.  She turned around and proceeded to look both ways as if she was going to cross again.   She then yelled out to me, "Mom, no cars crossed after I got to the other side!", as if that made complete sense - at least to her.  

Elleigh just leaped into the other side of the street just like we like to leap into the other side of life - without warning, thought, or anything diligent about it!  By that I mean, I have many times gone after something with good motives, but have not truly taken it to much prayer just because it was a good thing and basically I wanted to do it!  NOT GOOD!   After the fact I might look back and see that nothing smooshed me, but is God honored in that at all?  

I have found the Lord saying over and over to me - Leigh, look before you leap or you might end up in a heap.  This saying came from a safety drawing contest my brother entered one time with a guy jumping off a diving board into a pool absent of water! But that is so me.  

Blind faith is not walking into something without prayer!  

Blind faith is walking into something that you really don't know many details and are in complete trust of Him, but you are completely prayed up and in agreement with the Spirit!  I think too often we or I want to have an overall disclaimer that I trust the Lord and want to follow His leadings and so therefore I don't have to pray as much as I ought because I have a blind faith and just do it!  

I honestly get scared that I have done that with lots of things in my life.  God has been so merciful to pick up the pieces and make good and wonderful things of my leaping without looking and praying, but how much more wonderful would it have been if I had truly followed His plan instead of just doing!  

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."  Phil. 4:6  

The word "prayer" in that verse has the meaning of general prayers...  Possibly the kinds we say at the table over a meal or the blessings a pastor might pray over his congregation before departing from them.  But the word "petitions" has a much specific meaning.  It means prayers that we are praying for a particular benefit  - specific in nature and I would think with much more passion and urgency possibly.  

So as we walk into a blind faith kind of thing the Lord does not want us walking without prayer.  In everything and that does mean everything we are to have taken it to Him with general and specific prayers.  He does want us to leap and have reckless abandon and barbaric faith, but not without praying and seeking Him - in everything!  Don't cross the street looking back to see if you got smooshed any longer - look before you leap or you might end up in a heap!