How satisfied are you with the time you spend praying?
On a scale of 1 (not satisfied at all) and 10 (absolutely thrilled, it can’t get any better) what’s your number?
In one survey of 678 respondents, only 23 people felt satisfied with the time they spent praying. If these are all Christians, is that a problem?
Not at all. Because the most mature Christians are going to say that they want to pray more fervently and more frequently (because maturing Christians don’t graduate, they keep growing). And new Christians or Christians who haven’t developed and matured in their faith are going to say they want to learn how to pray and how to pray more. This week I want to help you move the needle on your prayer satisfaction just one level (for example, from a 4 to a 5 or a 7 to an 8).
I want to frame this in a context of good prayers, better prayers, and best prayers. So what makes a good prayer? Jesus teaches us.
“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3,4).
Why do we bow our heads, or sometimes even kneel, when we pray? It is a posture before God that indicates humility.
He is God. We are not. He is perfect. We need his mercy to approach him. He knows all truth. We believe too many lies. His purposes never fail. Our plans have holes in them and we don’t even know it.
Prayer is taking a lowly position. It is refusing to tell God how to run my life, and instead listening with open ears, mind and heart. It is asking with the faith that yields to God’s answer even if it is different than what I wanted. It is trusting that God’s answers are always perfect.
At church on Sunday, I asked the kids what they do when they’re at the grocery story and see their favorite snack on a shelf. They want the snack. So how do they get it?
Who do they ask? Store manager? Cashier at checkout? Some stranger? No. They ask mom or dad.
And are other kids coming up to their mom or dad asking them to buy their favorite snacks? No.
There is a relationship here that provides a path for approaching with needs. That’s what a good prayer is all about. A believer, as a child of God, has a relationship with God. God has chosen you by his grace, making you his child by faith, and opening the door to all his promises and blessings.
Here is a short video devotion from our ministry partner, Time of Grace, with some excellent teaching on this topic, and another lesson about kids and prayer https://youtu.be/Nm_MXv5gav4.
PRAYER: Dear Father, you love your children, and have adopted us to be your very own by grace. Thank you for the privilege of prayer. Teach me to be humble in prayer, like a child, and to trust in your answers with more faith. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: What is your number? On the prayer satisfaction rating scale, what is your number? What truth in today’s devotion can help you move to a better level?