Grilling, Praying, and the Color Blue
The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26
I got a call recently from a friend, telling me that her family was napping or otherwise engaged, and she was outside grilling for dinner.
Her reason for calling was to ask how she could pray for me while she was alone at the grill.
I was delighted by her care for me in this way, so I shared a few things that had been on my mind and heart that day.
It was a relief to hand over my weariness into her prayer-filled heart.
I felt truly honored by this act she did willingly on my behalf.
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A few days later, my husband and I were driving home after enjoying time with our grandkids while our son and daughter-in-law were away.
This drive found me tired and out of sorts- rather grumpy is probably the best word- when my friend came to mind, the one who prayed while she grilled.
Thinking of her made me remember that I could turn my eyes and heart away from myself and toward God.
I wanted to pray, but the way seemed difficult, considering my mood.
Then I remembered a simple prayer practice that was tucked away in the back of my mind for such a time as this.
This prayer practice led me to choose a color and then to pray every time I saw it.
So I picked blue. Every time I saw the color blue on our two-hour drive home, I decided to pray.
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It started rather easily.
But you would not believe the number of blue things you will find driving through the countryside when you are looking for blue things: highway signs, houses, trucks, lawn ornaments, sheds, flowers, tractors, the sky, cars, planters, toys on the lawn, license plates, storage bins, road markers.
It was amazing. You should try it sometime.
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Many of my people got a call out to God that day. When I couldn’t think of what to pray, I asked God to bless them and make his face shine upon them. When I ran out of family and friends, there were plenty of other people and situations I could lift to him. It almost felt overwhelming.
I wonder how God answered those prayers and if the ones I prayed for felt the shining face of God upon them that day.
I wonder what that might feel like?
A gentle breeze across their face catching them by surprise?
A squirrel chattering at them from a nearby tree?
A hug from someone special?
Lyrics from a song that gently nudged them to remember God’s presence?
While reading Scripture, a new insight became clear?
A moment of deep faith?
A Bible verse that popped into their head at a random or a much-needed, just-right time?
Perhaps a feeling of comfort, a sense of being loved, the warmth of being known?
Surprising peace amid some deep concerns?
Psalm 145:3b tells us that the LORD’s greatness is unsearchable,
so I figure that how he answers prayer is rather mysterious as well.
How have you noticed God’s face shining upon you?
On that day, He shone His face on me by leading my friend to ask how she could pray for me.
He blessed me by pulling me out of my funk and into his kingdom work.
He took care of me most of all by turning my mind and my heart toward him. It certainly worked.
And I trust that the people I prayed for felt his presence in some way.
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I encourage us all to ask the Holy Spirit to remind us to lift our people to him: our families, churches, neighbors, our country, and countries around the world. Let’s bring them to the throne and ask him to shine his face upon them and to do what he knows to do in their life that day. Simple. Lifting. In love.
Perhaps on your next road trip or walk around the block, you can choose a color and lift your people and your concerns up to our Lord. It’s a beautiful way to bless and to be blessed.
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Journaling ideas:
In what ways has God shown me how to pray?
Is there one new way I can pray?
How can I intentionally pray this way in the coming week?
How has God shown me that he is near today? Could it be that someone is praying for me?