I just had the most amazing experience. I don't know if anything like this has ever happened to anyone else. I was dreaming. In my dream, I was actually test driving a classic car with my dad, but somehow we ended up at an open air service at my church. It must have not only been open air but also "open mike." (We do these from time to time where anyone can share a testimony, a song, or a prayer). A lady shared a song, but something about the song made it clear to the believers that she needed Christ. (The dream was fuzzy on the song but the impression was clear). I saw one of the elders approach the pastor who was officiating the service and then the elder approached me. He expressed to me his concern for the lady and then informed me that he had just asked the pastor to have me close the service in prayer. The dream gave me the sense that some time passed and then the pastor turned to me and indicated he wanted me to pray. I began praying in my dream. I know that the Spirit helps us in our weakness and himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words, but in this prayer, we were in sync. In this prayer we were interceding for the saints and I was just opening my mouth and His words were flowing out.
Now, I didn't share this dream to be mystical. I don't put that much stock in dreams. But here is what I found amazing this morning. For the first time in my life, I actually woke up already in the middle of a prayer. I woke up in the middle of the dream. I felt I had no other choice -- I wanted no other choice -- but to keep it going. For fifteen or twenty minutes, I don't really know how long, I just laid there in bed with my eyes closed and let the prayer continue until it came to its conclusion.
I knew prayer was the best way to start your day. I just didn't know you could start your day already in prayer.
I am overwhelmed just thinking about it. It was so humbling an experience.