a stone or bread?

"And there is a communion with God that asks for nothing, yet asks for everything..... He who seeks the Father more than anything He can give, is likely to have what he asks, for he is not likely to ask amiss." [George MacDonald]

I wondered yesterday if it is better to ASK AMISS or to IGNORE what we really want and pray generalized prayers: Dear God, bless me. Dear God, I pray something good happens today.

Because on one hand, the "hand" most people would agree with, it isn't right to ask for wealth or happiness. We should be ready to face the odds! Get hurt! Suffer for Christ!

And that's true, is it not?

God doesn't give us a perfect little world because He doesn't want us to become a) selfish b) greedy or c) selfish again. So we DO suffer, we DO have to give up stuff every once in a while.

And to pray for something like a car is foolish. It's got to be foolish: God, give me a Porsche. God, I want a convertible VW. I want that funhouse car they made on Monster Garage last week.

But when we pray "Dear God, make me happy" aren't we hinting that we want that car?

We're trying to lie to ourselves: God, I want to be happy. We don't get a car and we're sad. We mend a broken relationship. We find $20 in a pair of jeans. It's pizza day at lunch. But we don't SEE those things because they aren't a car. God, why didn't you give me a car?

You have not because you ask not.

But will God give you that car you want? Probably not. It's not really necessary is it? You have your little Dodge Neon. It'll get you to school and back.

But by praying that prayer DESPITE its obvious outcome, we're better off. We are being true to God. Our prayer should be "IF IT IS YOUR WILL can I please get a new car?" not simply "MAKE ME HAPPY."

God wants us to realize what He's doing in our life. He wants US to make a CONSCIOUS effort to see what's going on in His.

So pray. Not just half hearted "bless me"s, but true from the heart pleads. Through prayer and petition with thanksgiving.

♥ezek.