As I was preparing to write this devotion, I immediately thought of what I have heard so many times, “Prayer changes things.”  But, this is not the title of this devotion. Prayer changes you, isseldomly said, but we cannot remain the same after we pray. Someone said, “ if you pray, why worry, and if you worry, why pray.” I would  go one step further and say, “ you can’t pray and be mean at the same time.” Prayer is a conversation with God — an opportunity to have dialogue with God. He does not dwell in unclean places or in unclean thoughts. So, if for some reason we are not right when we come to God, praying should change us.  In Exodus 32:32, we find these words:

“But now, if you will only forgive their sin—but if not, erase my name from the record you have written!”

Moses prayed that if Israel could not be forgiven, then he wanted to die and to be blotted out of the book. Moses’ prayer was noble yet tragic. The tragedy is in his inability to get what he most desired. Moses was called to lead the Israelites. He could not die at this time because the Lord had work for him to do. Can you see how prayer changed him? God promised that He would be present with him in his task of leadership. Read this chapter, when you get a chance. There is so much there for us to learn. Sometimes, like Moses,  we look for a way out. But prayer will not only change our minds, it will also change our direction. It is my prayer today that before any of us do anything, we will pray first and allow the Lord the opportunity to respond to our prayer. He may change our thinking and cause us not to self-destruct.