“Dear God, let us have a good time today. Bless this food to our bodies. Amen.”
Have you ever heard one of those around your dinner table? I did, not too long ago. It’s easy to fall into–no doubt about that. Comfortable prayers that satisfy our sense of responsiblity. Prayers that may be answered… but you really wouldn’t notice if they weren’t. They don’t require much and they leave no room for disappointment. You know, just in case God doesn’t answer my prayer like I kind of hope He will. Keep it vague and our faith won’t be shaken.
But I have to ask myself: Is that faith at all? Is that prayer that honors God and who He says He is?
God has called me, and I believe His Church, to more than tired, predictable, and vague. The examples of prayer we find in the Bible are daring and recklessly bold. We find Bible heroes who were specific in their requests and who stood steadfastly on God’s promises. Our prayers shouldn’t be dull and safe because… God is neither dull nor safe.
One of my friends shared this from a devotional she is reading:
Nothing honors God more than a big dream that is way beyond our ability to accomplish. Why? Because there is no way we can take credit for it. And nothing is better for our spiritual development than a big dream because it keeps us on our knees in raw dependence on God.
-Mark Batterson in “The Circle Maker”
God invites us to come to him boldly. Why should we hold back and protect ourselves with generalized prayers? God is big enough and He is true to His Word. I want my prayers to reflect that. I want to pray audaciously.
