How Specific Should We Pray?

"This is my request. I will ask one of them, ‘Please give me a drink from your jug.’ If she says, ‘Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too!’—let her be the one you have selected as Isaac’s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master.”

Genesis 24:14 

 

Abraham sent one of his servants to find a wife for his son, Isaac.  Now, this servant knew of the God of Abraham, and Abraham had told this servant that God would sent His angel ahead to prepare the wife for Isaac.  So off the servant went, wondering how he would be able to find the proper wife for Isaac and how he would not disappoint Abraham.

 

When he arrived at a spring, he prayed a VERY specific prayer:  "I will ask one of the young women for a drink from her water jug. IF SHE SAYS: 'Yes, have a drink, AND I will water your camels too.'" IF this happens, I will know that she is the one God has chosen.  This servant didn't even finish his prayer before Rebekah came for water.  The interchange this servant had with Rebekah was EXACTLY what he had asked God as proof.

 

The more I pondered this passage, the more I began to realize how many of my prayers were simply "small talk."  "Small Talk" are those niceties we say to one another, where we talk about the weather, the latest game, and nothing really of any substance.  I was reminded how much I dislike "small talk" when I had a truly in-depth conversation with a coworker.  We talked about things that actually made a difference, and it was FANTASTIC!  That is the kind of conversation I want and need to have with God!  Very Specific! Very in-depth!  Very Often! 

 

What IS This Thing Called 'Prayer'?

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

The Apostle Paul tells us that we are to talk with God without ceasing.  Well, how do we do that?  Let me ask you this...how do talk with your best friend?  The one who knows you best, the one who has been with you through your worst times.  The one who has been with you during your best times.  The one who knows your secrets and still wants to hang with you.

The one you share inside jokes with. 

I struggled with prayer most of my life because I thought it was some ritualized formula that had to be done with certain vocal inflections, using certain pious words and postures, and if you enjoyed it, you were doing it wrong.  Then I came across a quote from a Medieval Monk named Francois Fenelon that opened my eyes.

"Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend.  Tell God your troubles, that God may comfort you; tell God your joys, that God may sober them; tell God your longings, that God may purify them; tell God your dislikes, that God may help you conquer them; talk to God of your temptations, that God may shield you from them: show God the wounds of your heart, that God may heal them.  If you thus pour out all your weaknesses, needs, troubles, there will be no lack of what to say.  Talk out of the abundance of the heart, without consideration say just what you think.  Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved intercourse with God." –Francois Fenelon  

His point?  Prayer is a conversation with God!

 

Take A Break

"Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and thankful heart."

Colossians 4:2

 

 What's better than a cup of coffee?  A cup of coffee and conversation with a friend.  As I sit here with my coffee, writing this to you, I can't help but have prayer at the same time.  You see, when I feel ill at ease, or troubled, or frustrated, or concerned, the best thing I can do is get a cup of coffee and have a conversation with Christ.

 

Taking a coffee break and some quiet time helps.  I can pour out my heart, talk about everything that is on my mind, and listen to Him while I sip my coffee.  

 

Perhaps it's time for a coffee break. 

What's That You Say?

The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need.

Matthew 6:7-12 

 

I have been drawn to looking at Prayer, of late.  One thing that has stuck in my mind has been those who look at prayer as some grandiose performance whereby they must make a show of the act.  "Blessed and Most Gracious God and King of All Creation...we humbly bow before Thee do Thou mightest lend Thine Ear so Thou mayest hear our unworthy pleas..."

 

You've GOT to be kidding me.  No offense, but prayer is a conversation with our Abba (Daddy) who not only knows when we are engaged in "performance prayer" and when we are talking to the One who knows us so much that He wants a relationship with us.  When God came to the Garden of Eden in the evening to talk with Adam and Eve, I doubt seriously that the conversation was "King James" formal.  In my mind, the conversation was one of friends talking, sharing, and enjoying time together.

 

Think of your very best friend who knows more about you than anyone else, the one you share your deepest secrets with, how do you talk with each other?  Now, think of how much more deeply God knows you.  With God, NOTHING is hidden!  He knows all about us and still loves us anyway.  So, talk with Him as the person with whom you have no secrets!

 

Prayer is NOT a practice in eloquence or theatrics. Prayer is a conversation with the One who IS LOVE.  Speak plainly and openly! 

Daddy

And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:6 

 

Have you ever tried to pray and you stumble and fumble, "umm" and "uhh", and you just don't think your prayer was one God wanted to hear?  Ever feel as though your prayers weren't articulate enough; or your posture was not "prayerful" enough?  Do you feel self conscious about the way you pray?  Well, God, who hears your prayers by the way, is your Daddy.  You don't need to "WOW" Him with proper posture or polished words.

 

As a matter of fact, remember Jesus said, "Don't ramble on like heathens who like to talk a lot" - Matthew 6:7.  When Jesus taught us to pray, He made it very simple with no big words.  Jesus did not teach us a ritual of prayer!  Jesus taught us the simplicity of prayer.  We don't need to recite polished well-worded prayers from a book.  God has no need to hear recited prayers which we may or may not actually mean.  Parroting back a prayer from a book is easy and wooden...Talking to the One who knows more about you than you could ever hope to know is to speak in love to your Daddy!

 

When a child crawls into Daddy's lap, what would you expect that child to say?  Would you expect to hear, "Oh Father, thou art the giver of all things.  Thou hast given unto me thine blessing of good fortune.  Deliver me, Oh Father, from mine enemies...."?  Absolutely not!  A child simply tells Daddy what's on their mind and in their heart.  They talk about everything and anything.  When did we get to the point that we somehow believed that we had to follow a particular rules of ritual to talk to our Daddy?  

 

You see, God is not impressed with our "educated" vocabulary.  Nor is He impressed by the ritualistic posture.  Think about this, the bowed head began as the sign of humble submission.  Isn't that the same way we should bow our head?  Remember when Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector praying?  The Pharisee was all about being heard, seen, and praying without the slightest hint of humbleness.  Yet, the Tax Collector was so humbled that he couldn't even lift his eyes to Heaven.

 

We worry too much about praying the correct and proper way.  Let me ask you something, can a child hug you wrong?  Can a child love you incorrectly?  In the same way, our prayers to God, when they are from the depths of your soul, are always acceptable.

 

You see, prayer really IS that simple.  Prayer is having an ongoing conversation with your Daddy who loves you beyond all understanding. As a matter of fact, we have the right to call God "Abba" which is Aramaic for "Daddy."

Why Wait?

"Never Stop Praying" - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

 

Why do we wait for some tragic event to occur before we start advertising that we are or ought to be praying?  The fact of the matter is that we should be in constant prayer.  As I've said before, prayer isn't saying nice things to God in Ye Olde English that we think He wants to hear.  Prayer is a conversation.  There are no special words to use in a special way, just talk to God in the same way you talk to your closest friend.

 

Sometimes it's easier to write prayers than to voice them.  I keep a notebook with me and sometimes I'll write a letter to God (especially if I want to remember what we discussed).  

 

Prayer isn't difficult.  

It doesn't take a special posture.

It doesn't require a special place.

You can pray while you're walking, working, driving, talking with someone else...you can pray while doing anything.

 

So why do we wait to pray?  Go ahead and start the conversation.   

But I Don't Know What To Say

When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.

Matthew 6:7 

 

Praying is one of the most intimidating things we can do most times.  Why? Because we aren't sure what to say or how to say it or whether we are using the right words in the right order or we're just not sure how to pray.  I've received quite a number of emails asking about praying and prayer and how to do it "right".  

 

Let me be plain, if you don't pray because you don't know what words to use, pray anyway, God knows your heart, so you're not trying to impress anyone with your words.  Be honest with Him.  Answer this question: How do you talk with your best friend? And I'll bet even they don't know as much about you as God does who loves you in spite of yourself.

 

Prayer, and this has been discussed before, is a conversation.  The best description of pray I have yet found is by a monk named Francois Fenelon:

  

"Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. 

 

Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; 

tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; 

tell Him your longings, the He may purify them; 

tell Him your dislikes, that He may help you conquer them, 

talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them; 

lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, you instability. 

Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself and others. 

 

If you pour out all you weaknesses, needs, and troubles there will be no lack of what to say. You will never exhaust the subject. It is continually being renewed. People who have no secrets from each other never want for subjects of conversation. They do not weigh their words, for there is nothing to be held back; neither do they seek for something to say. They talk out of the abundance of the heart, without consideration they say what they think. Blessed are they who attain to such familiar, unreserved, conversation with God."

 

 

 

What Gift Can We Give?

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.

1 Timothy 2:1-3

We hear a lot in Scripture about praying.  But what exactly is prayer?  It is an ongoing conversation with God.  It's when we tell Him about our hurts, joys, concerns, unload our irritations and anger....it's when we tell God EVERYTHING that's on our hearts, because, let's face it, He already knows but wants to make sure we know as well.

Look carefully at today's passage, the FIRST thing the Apostle Paul tells Timothy to do is begin with prayer.  Start the conversation: "Father, before I head off to work today, thank You for loving me and my family; Thank You for the opportunities You will set before me today; Thank You for the parts of my job I don't like; Thank You for the fact that You have already gone through today and are always with me during the day.  Keep me alert.  Keep me strong. Keep me safe." 

Then, as you go through the day, pray for others who come to mind.  God brings people to our minds for a reason, just as He brings people into our lives for a reason.

My pledge to ALL who read this is my prayers for our First Responders are daily!  When one hurts, ALL bear the pain! 

Want To Know A Secret?

This is what the Lord says—the Lord who made the earth, who formed and established it, whose name is the Lord: Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.

Jeremiah 33:2-3 

 

We LOVE hearing secrets!  Secrets are tidbits of information that few other people know.  We like being in the know and some people get a feeling of euphoria when they know something the rest of us don't.  Sometimes we hurt others by sharing their secrets. Why is that?  We ALL have secrets!  Some of them could ruin us and some of them are just things we want to keep to ourselves.

 

Even God has secrets He's kept from us!  Just think about it....Has anyone ever seen God's blueprints for the universes?  Has anyone ever truly figured out what a Leviathan or a Behemoth really look like?  How about whether Jonah was swallowed by an actual whale or another large fish?  There has GOT to me a secret reason why God created mosquitoes and gnats, but He has yet to decide to let me in on that secret.  Why are we all similar, yet different?  Why do bad things happen to good people and why do good things happen to bad people?  

 

The fact is.....on this side of Heaven, we will only glimpse the smallest bits of God's plan.  When we reach Heaven, knowing the secrets won't be so important to us.  Meanwhile, if you want information follow God's instructions: "ASK ME and I will tell you remarkable secrets you know not know about things to come."  Talk with God and you will begin to see things differently and you will learn things you never thought possible.   

Simple Prayer

“Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Luke 8:48

When you think of prayer, does your mind immediately go to those blustery long dust-filled speeches?  Do you remember, with fear and trepidation, when "that person" was called upon to offer the Benediction and the grabbed the pack of the pew in front of them to launch into an hour long speech?  How about the prayers where "Father God" is every other phrase used?

 

Prayer is simple.  Prayer is a conversation with the One who knows you better than you could possibly know yourself. Peter, when he walked on the water at Jesus' invitation, and when Peter got distracted and started to sink, his prayer was very simple: "HELP!"  Sometimes prayers don't even have to be spoken out loud.  Remember the woman with the bleeding issue?  Her unvoiced prayer was "If only I can just touch the hem of his robe, I can be healed."  She worked her way to Jesus, and her prayer was answered.

 

Prayer isn't about how much we say.  Prayer isn't about having perfect grammar.  Prayer isn't about saying the right magical words so God will hear you.  Prayer is not for everyone else to hear.  If we aren't careful, prayer can make us feel smug because we believe everyone is impressed with our ability to articulate for hours on end (when actually they are just grateful that the prayer FINALLY ended).

 

Prayer is letting your heart speak!  It can be a quick as "HELP!" and it can be a simple as "fill me with Your peace."  Prayer is a conversation, so talk with your Father because He hears, not only our words, but the groanings of our spirit.

Let's Talk About Prayer, Shall We?

And because we are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:6

My daughter loves to talk (sorry Punkin, but it's true).  When she was a toddler, she would talk to me about every aspect of her day from the color of the bug she saw to the sound of the wind in the trees to the colors she used to draw the picture, and OH, the picture was of....  As a child, she was talkative and liked having conversations with me (I'm not much on small talk so she did most of the talking).

Have you ever listened to a child talk to their parent about something they are excited about?  Children like to talk!  It's just that simple.  And they don't hold anything back (if you're child has ever blurted out something they shouldn't have, you know what I mean).

Never once did I ever expect my daughter to come kneel before me and say, "Oh Fathah! I beseech thee to bestow upon me thy many and manifold blessings!  Look down upon me with thine goodness and mercy and givest unto me of thy bounty from whence I may partake of sustenance and behold, shalt be made full."  If she did speak to me like that, I would wonder what she had gotten into.  So why do we think this is how we should talk with God, our Heavenly Father? 

When our children talk to us, they are plain and, many times, bold! We are His children!  When we come to talk with Him, Hebrews 4:16 reminds us: "So let us come BOLDLY to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most."  We need to talk to God about everything that is on our hearts and minds!  

I've said it before and I'll say it again, READ THE PSALMS!!!  David was called, The Beloved of God, yet in some of his psalms, he was not exactly polite when talking with God!  He was plain and bold!  Are we timid with God because we think He can't handle our honesty?  Are we afraid that the same God who loves us so much that He sent His ONLY Son to pay the price for our sins, is sitting on His throne with His might stick of smiting ready to knock our block off?  If you're going to pray....then PRAY!  If you are going to be timid and fearful...you really don't know your Father very well!  Jesus called God "Abba" which means "Daddy".  The writer of Hebrews reminds us that as His children, we get to call God "Daddy".

Prayer is a conversation! So to pray is to talk with Daddy!