Panini’s Lesson On Praying
It’s 3 am and I get a visitor slapping a paw on my head. It is our foster kitty Panini. Skinny, torn ears and a funny crouch, we found him in our yard and quickly rescued him. After a visit with the vet hospital, Sausage (his new nickname) had quite a few medical problems and we were thankful he made it this far being a stray.
During his vet visit, we uncovered quite a few ailments he was suffering from. Although his stature is quite thin and small, he is one tough cookie. Both of his ears were ripped and there was scarring in his right eye. He cannot crouch down normally to the floor like other cats do. The vet believes that he was either hit by a car or fell out of a tree. He has a pretty strong heart murmur too.
Needless to say, Sausage has won our hearts as a brave little soldier in the big bad world. As mentioned earlier, I was getting swatted quite a bit at 3 am in the morning and he was relentless. Thinking he was hungry, I gave him some canned food. Three minutes later, he was back hitting me in the head with his paw. Maybe a good massage was in order. After a rub down he walked away satisfied. Three minutes later, he was back. Slap, slap, slap with his paw. Okay, time to pull out the dry food. Finally, after a few gulps, he was satisfied and went to sleep. 
During those moments, Matthew 7:7-8 came to mind. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened”
I had been personally praying for my children regarding some issues in their life. It was becoming troublesome and a concern as to what we should do. As we pray for our kids, we are pained and heartbroken by their wayward life that leaves us emotionally a wreck. Addictions, illnesses, disorders, and so forth keep us awake at night and stressed during the day.
Overwhelmed, praying seems like the last thing we want to do with all of the weariness and discouragement we carry. The truth is, praying is the very answer in which we can be set free from this cycle of turmoil in our lives. Prayer brings about peace, comfort, strength, closeness, contentment, healing, and more. He delights when we ask Him for our needs!
Some of you may say, “I am so tired that I have nothing in me to pray or know how to pray.” That’s okay. All you have to do is say, “Jesus!” Yes, just one word. God knows your heart, your heaviness, your weakness, and your hopelessness. He can change these things. In order to do so, we need to turn our hearts, eyes, and ears towards Him. Remember, God often speaks in a still, small voice. We just have to listen. So seek Him!
My time spent with the Lord became my joy, my peace, my time to be intimate with Him in my heart and spirit. Persistent was also a big key – another way of not giving up. By praying through the scriptures, I didn’t have to figure out what to say. It was already in front of me. I just have to keep knocking.
Little Sausage taught me to not give up. How could I ignore him with all of his slapping attention? Certainly God would not ignore my cries for help and concern at the door of His Throne.
God loves it when we come to Him with our needs and even wants. Just like a Parent to a Child, He gives what is best for us and in His will.
Today, Panini continues his little tapping on my head. It is time to wake up and pray. Prayer and God’s Word is the only way to receive what He has to say, find Him in your quietness, and see the door open to Him ministering to you.