My wife said these words to me the other day, and not for the first time. Why am I inclined to repeat things ? If my wife notices this habit and doesn’t want to hear the same things over again, may be God gets a bit fed up with our repetitions as well.
It is undoubtedly nice for all to say “The Lord’s Prayer” together, but how many of us think of what we are saying to God as we do it ? Did You mean everything you said when you last said it ? Do we think that God likes to hear us reciting what He has heard untold times throughout the ages ? Jesus taught His disciples this in answer to their request “Teach us to pray”. (Teach us how to communicate with Father as you do)
Most Christians love the old hymns popular all over the world, for they teach us much, and help us to express our deep thoughts and feelings, and a few of the modern ones do also. But in much of modern church worship there are constant repetitions. Do we think that God doesn’t hear and understand the first time ? Or is it us who cannot express ourselves and mean it, the first time.?
How many times do we pray for the same things over and over in our private devotions ? Is it something to do with the way we were taught to pray as a child.. “God Bless Mummy and God Bless Daddy.. etc ? Or do we think that if we miss out someone God won’t include them in His Blessing. ?
Have you noticed that the more near and dear to us is the subject of our prayer , the more ardent and urgent is the prayer Are we saying “Yes Your Will Be Done” “But put this on the top of Your priorities please Lord” ?.
I sometimes think that faith is lacking in our communications with our Beloved Lord God. Where is the trust in Him, that He knows all things, and He knows best,
We are not telling Him what We want, As if He is there to do our bidding. We should be sharing with the Loving Almighty One our work and concern with the things that touch our life in His world.
In our love for friends and family and others we share with the Head of the Heavenly Family just how we feel. And our desires work together with His desires to bring about what He know to be the best.
If your God seems remote and far away, Draw near to Him in faith. Share your desires and love with Him in sincerity and truth. Talk things over with Him, And enjoy a new warm relationship with Him, for He loves you so much and wants to be with you and to Bless you.
” What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to share,
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.”
Sincerely yours Gerald Gossage