What Do You Want?

From an early age most of us were taught how to pray. "God bless mommy and daddy, God bless Grandma and my puppy." I saw something recently though that made me question the way that I pray. Do you do this?

Our childhood prayers before meals get a little better than those bedtime prayers with "God is great, God is good" - directing our prayers vertically rather than horizontally. When we become adults though, do our prayers really change all that much from those childhood prayers?

I saw a meme on Facebook recently that caused me to re-examine my prayer life. Perhaps it will do the same for you. Here it is.

So many times I have prayed seeking God's help with something. Perhaps it's a prayer for a friend in need or a prayer seeking forgiveness for something I have done. But seldom have I prayed in such a way that I ask God what HE wants.

I love what that meme says! And it's true. True prayer I think is not asking God to come through for our laundry list of hopes and desires. True, worshipful prayer is asking God what He wants from US.

Instead of asking, "Please God, get rid of my cancer", what if we prayed, "Lord, how can I use this for your glory?" or, "Father, what is it you want from me?

When Samuel was being called by God Eli told Samuel to answer God in a particular way. It is good for us to remember the words of Samuel as WE pray.

"Then Eli perceived that the Lord had called the boy. ⁹ Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ Now the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” - Samuel 3:8-10

So many time we ask God to take care our needs instead of asking Him what we can do for Him. Are we afraid of what he'll ask us to do? Or are we afraid of how WE might answer.

What Do You Want From Me? - Pink Floyd