Depending on the Lord Through Prayer

I just signed up for Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon, a twice-daily devotional, to be emailed to me every morning through Heartlight - if you're interested, you can sign up (or just view today's reading) right here.  I like that the devotionals are short little "bites" and there are lots of treasures to be found in them.  Here's one such treasure:

The most healthy state of a Christian is to be always empty in self and constantly depending upon the Lord for supplies; to be always poor in self and rich in Jesus; weak as water personally, but mighty through God to do great exploits; and hence the use of prayer, because, while it adores God, it lays the creature where it should be, in the very dust.

Truly, we are nothing without God's constant enabling power.  Prayer is how we acknowledge that.  Isn't that so contrary to our natural tendencies?  I don't know about you, but I like to do well at things and be confident in what I can do...that's my sinful nature and my pride working in my heart.

But really, it's not just that I shouldn't rely on my own strength, but I can't do anything - even breathe - without God's sustaining power.  It's good for me to realize this.  It's good for me to acknowledge my dependence on the Lord.  But I don't do it often enough.  That's why this quote is such a good reminder to take advantage of prayer to declare my dependence on God.