Day 43 “Begging never impresses God; trusting Him always will.”

Day 43

Matthew 6:7-8 “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

Prayer should never look like a shopping list. Prayer is the cry of our hearts coming through our mouths and to the ears of God. As our prayers pass through the stages from inception in our hearts to the speaking of our lips, hopefully, there is much thought and feeling accompanying them. I believe the Lord would have us hear and consider our own prayers as much as we would have Him consider them. There have been far too many occasions upon which I have prayed something, and the moment it comes out of my mouth, I question why I would ever ask such a thing. How is it that, when the thought was in my heart, it made perfect sense? Yet now, I’m embarrassed to have spoken it. Sometimes, it would do us well to think a little longer before we pray and maybe spend more time just thanking God for what He has done.

One of the more annoying things I witness in life is the children who seem to never stop asking for something from their parent. On recent occasion, and far too often, I see children simply asking, without a breath, over and over the same question: “Daddy can I?” or “Mommy can I?” followed by something they desire–more than likely not what is best for them. I often wonder, “When will this child breathe?” as he continues without ceasing until receiving the desired response. The key is, if you ask enough and become rude enough about it, the parent will become annoyed enough with your persistence to simply say yes, often not even knowing what he is saying yes to. The child now sees that, by begging and being an annoyance, he can get whatever he wants, and all the while the parent cannot understand what is wrong with his child.

Aren’t you glad God is not like these parents and that He doesn’t give in to our begging and complaining? I for one am elated because far too often I have begged and pleaded with God for something I simply could not live without, only to find later that it was not what was best for me.

God wants us to understand He is sovereign and that He knows what is best for us so, as we will soon see, it is always best to simply surrender to His will and trust that He hears us and loves us.

Daily Prayer: Father, may I be content with all that You determine is best for me and avoid the temptation to beg for things that may not be. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

“Begging never impresses God; trusting Him always will.”

Pastor Gene Burroughs, Servant