It illustrates a paradigm that I have unfortunately fallen into, that of God like a big "sugar daddy in the sky" waiting to bestow us with blessings as we submit our prayers like a list to him. Sherry and I try (and most mornings are successful) to prayer together every day and lately have realized that it's become mostly all about us. We ask prayers that for the most part self centered.It's like looking over menu options and choosing or discarding like this:
Let's see, I'll have the appetizer of have a quick commute today. For the main course I'd like a big portion of prosperity, served with a side of mashed enemies. Please hold any illness, but could I also get some nice weather on the side please? For dessert, let's see - can you show me the tray? OK, there - I'll settle on a nice tropical vacation.
Amen.
Obviously, you can see the problem here. To not be too facetious, we do pray for our friends, family, co-workers, church and other needs that our lives intersect with. But to a large part our (my) prayers have become rote. I don't think it's a matter of not knowing what do, it's putting it in action. I need to stop asking so much (particularly for me), and listening more.
