Prayer Comes in All Sizes

I used to try to pray BIG.  By that I mean I didn’t want to bother God with too many of my small personal requests. I knew I should pray for things such as forgiveness, faith, spiritual growth, and wisdom; for the sick, for the hungry, the missionaries, world peace.  But somehow I had the impression that praying for my own earthly dreams and desires was selfish prayer. In fact, I remember hearing someone say that those who pray such self-centered prayers have a shallow view of God as some kind of divine genie to grant their every wish. And that for me to ask Him to intervene in my life for my own selfish purposes is to attempt to manipulate Him.  

I didn’t want to do that, and it didn’t sound like it would do much good anyway. So I tried to pray big prayers. But I didn’t get to know God very well that way. I didn’t really get to know Him until I started praying small.

I’m thankful for the people in my life who have helped me to have a better understanding of prayer and a closer relationship with the Father. From their example and from studies of the Word about prayer, I decided that I can and should pray about everything.

Philippians 4:6 is a scripture I think of often,

“Do not be anxious about anything, but by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Does God care about our small needs and requests? Of course he does; He’s our Father.
Is it Ok to pray for God to help you find your car keys when you’ve looked everywhere and you’re late for something really important? Or to pray that the washing machine won’t break down today because you had to buy a new oven just last month; or to pray for your child to have a good day at school today or to do well on an important test?  I think it is.

Whenever I pray for small things, whenever I express to God my daily anxieties and inabilities, I feel much closer to Him.  He becomes part of my daily life. And the more I ask of Him, the more he answers.  The more I talk to Him, the more I want to know Him.  And my faith grows, and I become more bold and confident to pray about the bigger things.  And as my intimacy with God grows, I find it easier to know if I am praying in humility and in His will.

C.H. Spurgeon preached 130 sermons on Prayer.  In one of them he says,

“A little thing may often touch the heart more than a great

thing. Now, how often have we, if we have acted rightly, taken little things

before the Lord. I believe it is the Christian’s privilege to take all his

sorrows to his God, be they little or be they great. I have often prayed to

God about a matter at which you would laugh if I should mention it. In

looking back I can only say it was a little thing, but it seemed great at the

time. It was like a little thorn in the finger, it caused much pain, and might

have brought forth, at last, a great wound. I learned to lay my little troubles

at the feet of Jesus. Why should we not? Are not our great ones little? and

is there, after all, much difference between great troubles and little ones in

the sight of God? My gratitude compels me to say, “I love the Lord, because he has heard those little prayers, and answered my little supplications, and made me blessed, even in little things which, after all, make up the life of man.”

http://www.prayermeetings.org/C_H_Spurgeon_Sermons_on_Prayer.html

Father, help me to grow into a more intimate relationship with You so that I may be anxious for nothing, bringing before you the Small things as well as the Big ones. Show me the things in my life that might hinder my prayers.Thank you for Christ who intercedes for me  now and every time I come before you. Amen

Lynn Anne Hughes

Stephenville, Texas

Close to my Heart…..my trusted “prayer group” sisters!

About 40 some years ago I was a newcomer to Abilene, Texas, worshipping with my family of five at the University church of Christ.  My husband, Burl, was a newly-hired assistant track coach at ACU.

Our three children were early elementary and pre-school age.  Burl and I had both graduated from ACU, so we had acquaintances in Abilene, but were making many new friends.

I recall pretty vividly (for my going-on-77 year old mind!) the morning following worship in the church building auditorium when Carolyn Daniels approached me and asked me if I would like to be part of a ladies prayer group. My heart was thrilled and I immediately said “oh, yes!”  Our first meeting of eight ladies met  the following week for about an hour together.  I was only slightly acquainted with these women at the outset, but the Lord indeed brought together that day eight women of different talents, but with the kindred spirit of being in Christ!  Our combined children ranged in age from about 3 years old up into teenagers!

I share this because it is truly one of the greatest blessings of my life, and I’d love to challenge others who read and reflect on it to get your sisters together and commit to pray daily for each other, as we did those 40 years ago, and continue to meet each week up to this time! (Of course time has altered somewhat the make-up of our group.)   Our simple commitment was that we would pray for one another by name every day! This naturally would lead to praying for mates and children.

We all agreed on the ‘confidentiality’ of our commitment.  We could trust that what we discussed when we shared our needs went no further than our group, unless of course it concerned needs and events generally known by all our acquaintances, such as illnesses, family events, etc.

It is truly amazing that this group of dear friends have always honored the trust, without a single breach of our commitment.  When a Christian makes a ‘commitment’ of this kind, it should be taken very seriously, and has been, to our immense blessing!

Through the years we have lost Carolyn Daniels to cancer, and Earlene Speer, who passed on to her reward a few years after moving away from Abilene. Earline Perry’s huband, Lowell, was killed in a plane explosion during our first years together, and June Douglas, our preachers wife, left Abilene when she and Bob relocated to the west coast.  This left five of us, Jeanette Lipford, Smitty Brecheen, June Estes, Earline, and myself.  After a short time our dear friend, Kay McGlothlin joined in our prayer circle.  Burl and I eventually moved to the farm near Merkel and have since been members at the Merkel church, but I have continued to meet weekly with them.

Thru these years we have had many positive answers to prayers for our families, but also for many things we prayed about we had to be content with a “no” from the Lord.  Having the fellowship of discussion, Bible study, and prayer together helped strengthen us through all the occurrences in our lives thru these years.   Our grown children have been impacted by the knowledge that their moms have been praying together for them all their lives, and now for their children.  We get phone calls from grandchildren asking our prayer group to pray about significant (and some not so significant, too!) needs in their lives.  It is a huge blessing to us.  And, we trust, to them.

We realize one does not have to be involved in such a group to have strong, vibrant prayer lives.  But we have been strengthened and encouraged by this reliable, warm, “safe” group of friends in the Lord.  We have taken seriously the instruction to “confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another” found in James.  We have all found we are more consistent and constant in prayer because of this long-standing commitment.  As we age we anticipate the joy of crossing over into eternal life one by one and imagine the great reunion there in that “great cloud of witnesses.”

The familiar passage in Philippians 4:4-7 has grown so very comforting through all the stages of my life as a result of this prayer fellowship.  It reads “Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, ‘rejoice!’ Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  To an aging Christian woman it is wonderfully comforting to have the promise that God’s peace will guard my mind, as well as my ‘heart!’

Jan McCoy

Merkel, Texas

Casual Prayer

Hear, O Lord, and answer me…guard my life…have mercy on me…bring joy to your servant…lift up my soul…teach me your way…give me an undivided heart…

You are my God…You are forgiving and good, abounding in love….Among the gods there is none like you…no deeds can compare with yours…you are great and do marvelous deeds…great is your love toward me…you O Lord are a compassionate God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness… (Excerpts from David’s Prayer in Psalm 86).

Disclaimer:  

Critiquing prayer is as risky as suggesting a chef can’t boil water.  Amen?  

I’m going to do it anyway.

People pray.  We can’t help it.  God made us to enjoy a symbiotic relationship with him.  That’s why even atheists pray when backed in a corner with nowhere to go, their life in the balance and nothing to lose.  Prayer is the most intimate part of our relationship with God and is not to be engaged in casually.

Sometimes life is so overwhelming that all we can do is press our souls against God’s heart and keen silently from the depths of our misery.  Most of you know what I mean.  If you haven’t been there yet, you will.

Other times we fling our prayers in the direction of God’s throne hoping He’ll answer without slowing us down.  “Casual” prayer falls somewhere in between.  

In casual prayer we talk at God, not with him.  “I want [fill in the blank].”  “Forgive my sins.”  “Help me (be more spiritual…do a good job…make good decisions…”  “Be with me (at work…at school…during the game…).”  Casual prayers are benign statements we can – and do – recite with our eyes closed.    

God already promised to be with us and help us and forgive us.  He’s faithful to all his promises, loving toward all he made, and remains faithful forever (Psalm 145:13; 146:6).  God’s faithfulness changes our dull, casual prayers into brilliant, purposeful thanksgiving for everything he’s already done and continues to do!

Imagine:  God knew us before we were born (Psalm 139:13)!  In Psalm 86 we can tell that not only does the psalmist know God, but he knows that he is known by God.  Throughout this lament, their relationship is beautifully and thoroughly articulated.  I want to learn how to pray like that.

Father God, your love and faithfulness fill us with awe.  We want to be more respectful of you, and more thoughtful and purposeful when we talk to you.  Give us open hearts to know you intimately, as you already know us.  Thank you for answering this prayer as we offer it through Jesus, our brother and Savior, amen.            

Sandra Milholland

Abilene, Texas