Keeping the Line Open with the Good Lord

Scripture Focus: Acts 1:14
"These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers."

Cowboy Wisdom:
When you're out riding fence line, you keep your rope ready and your eyes open. That rope is your lifeline—it's what you use to pull a calf from a mud hole, secure a spooked horse, or haul yourself up when you've taken a tumble. A cowboy without his rope is like a cowboy without his horse—unprepared for what's ahead.

Prayer is like that rope. It keeps you connected to the One who knows the terrain ahead, who sees the dangers you can't spot from ground level, who knows where the water is when the creek beds run dry. Some cowboys only reach for their rope when they're already in trouble. But the wise ones keep that line open all the time, checking in with the ranch, getting their orders, reporting what they see.

Here's what I've learned about prayer and waiting: the quickest way through the waiting is to stay on your knees. Not because prayer magically speeds up God's timeline, but because prayer changes you while you wait. It settles your anxious heart. It reminds you who's in charge. It keeps you from making fool decisions just because you're tired of standing still.

The disciples didn't pray once and call it good. They devoted themselves continually to prayer—praising, confessing, thanking, asking. That's how cowboys survive the long nights on the trail. They keep talking to the One who never sleeps, never leaves His post, and always keeps watch.

Reflection:
The disciples didn't just pray once—they devoted themselves continually to prayer. They praised God for what He'd done, confessed their failures, offered thanksgiving, and prayed for strength for what was ahead. How does your prayer life measure up during seasons of waiting?

Daily Challenge:
Set aside focused time today to pray using this pattern: Praise God for who He is, confess any sin, thank Him for His blessings, and ask Him for what you need. Don't rush it.

Prayer Focus:
Lord, teach me to pray like the disciples prayed. Help me give You the praise You deserve, confess my sin honestly, offer genuine thanksgiving, and bring my requests before You with faith that You hear and answer.