Faith That Works 6 - Praying With Your Eyes Open: Reflections on the Apostle Paul's Letter to the Colossians (Good News and Grins To Go)

I don't know about you but I'm always looking for something to use as a guide for my daily "Quiet Time". Most of the material out there is either too technical or too syrupy.
When I look for stuff to read for this daily time of prayer and meditation, I'm generally not looking for something I'll need to pull out a dictionary to understand. Nor am I looking for something that requires that I keep tissues handy.
I'm looking for a quick read that offers some insight on a short snippet of scripture from a perspective that might be different from mine or at least not something I'd think of myself. Oh yeah, it would be nice if it left me with a smile on my face most mornings. With these parameters, my search has generally been fruitless. So, being the industrious "type A" person that I am, I wrote one myself.
I don't promise that this little walk through the Apostle Paul's Letter will leave you breathless from its theological significance. It will not make you misty eyed and drive you to hug everyone you meet that day. What I do hope is that it makes you think about the wisdom of Paul and do it with a smile on your face.
I think the smile part is important because we have enough things in our day that make us frown. I think our day should start (or end depending on when you have your "quiet time") with prayer, God's word, some reflective thought, and a smile.
I designed my devotional series, "Good News and Grins To Go" specifically for Kindle Apps that run on mobile phones and other mobile devices to help folks take an easy to read devotional with them wherever they go. Stuck in line, waiting for someone late for an appointment, stuck in traffic? Just pull out Good News and Grins To Go and take advantage of a bad situation. (Please don't read and drive, or drive while praying with your eyes closed!)
So enjoy this guide and enjoy your time with God. I think He likes it best that way!

Why "Praying With Your Eyes Closed"?
The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the first century Christians in Colossae toward the end of his life. He’d traveled all over the Mediterranean sharing The Message with folks, and at the time of this writing was imprisoned in Rome, sentenced to death. His heath was failing and he knew the end was near.
So he sets about writing to a group of folks who were trying to live this new “Christian” lifestyle and were failing miserably. They were trying to make it about a set of rules and it’s not. So he writes to encourage and admonish them to exercise the freedom that faith in Jesus Christ brings.
I chose the title “Praying With Your Eyes Open” because, like the Colossians, we tend to put too much emphasis on things that are of no significance (like making sure your eyes are closed when you pray) and we skip over the important things. Paul wants us to get the “big picture” in our faith.
So my question to you is this: Do you feel bad when you get caught “Praying with Your Eyes Open”?
Well, then you better get reading . . .
Pressing on toward the goal . . .
RevDrKid