"I see the grass growing in your path..."

In his book "Chazown," Craig Groeschel (pastor of LifeChurch in Oklahoma) tells the story of African Christians who, when the gospel first came to them, valued prayer above all "religious" disciplines. They actually built private prayer huts, with each Hut set apart for just one person, and the path used only by that person leading up to its door. If someone neglected the loving discipline of prayer, grass would begin to grow on the path. The straying brother or sister's best friends were the ones with the courage to say, "I love you, and I see the grass growing on your path." In other words, I love you enough to correct you. You are not doing what God has called you to do.

Given that prayer is our direct-connect to God, the method whereby our entire success as a disciple of Christ is realized, the importance cannot be overstated. Prayer is the lifeblood of the believer. It is the moment of private worship, wherein we lay ourselves before our almighty God, paying homage, honor, and respect, in the small fashion we can. It is the source of our wisdom, to be able to see things through the eyes of God. It is the source of our strength, to be able to endure, persist, and to accomplish all things, up to and including the impossible. It is the source of our power, to be able to call into play the mighty God Who can, when we cannot. Prayer is Christianity. How can we neglect so important an endeavor? And yet, we do.

Who loves you enough to point out the overgrown paths in your life? Who will hold you accountable with your New Year's resolutions--with your resolve to follow Christ, above all else? Is there grass in your path?