Two Word Prayer
There are times when my prayers get a bit “wordy”. I remember an older gentleman who prayed at church years ago. He said the same prayer every time he was called upon to pray in church. I don’t consider myself to be a “good pray-er”, but I think it’s quite ok to get right to the point in prayer. I believe the Lord knows what I’m about to ask even before I pray. I believe prayer is more about my dependence upon the Lord and my surrendering to Him than whether or not I ask Him correctly.
Jacob was in a desperate spot, feeling fearful of his brother Esau, whom he had “screwed over” regarding Esau’s birthright and their fathers blessing. He probably should be scared. He has become quite wealthy and prosperous, so he divided his family, servants and his possessions into two companies thinking that if one was captured by Esau, the other group could escape. After this preparation, he goes to the Lord. Check this out…
9 Then Jacob prayed, ‘O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, Lord, you who said to me, “Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,” 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two camps. 11 Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. 12 But you have said, “I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.”’ (Genesis 32:9-12 NIV)
I have been in situations where I cried out for the Lord to “save me”! It’s a simple and “straight-to-the-point” prayer. I should pray this prayer quite often, because I’ve never been able to save myself. There have certainly been times when I felt like the Lord showed me the way early on to avoid getting in a scary situation coming later. I believe consistent and continual short prayers are better than long formal grammatically correct prayers.
Prayer is about my heart connecting to God’s heart – my agenda surrendered to His agenda. Prayer is about my total dependence upon the Lord. Prayer is more about the Lord gaining my attention and speaking to me than my speaking to Him about anything. Somehow prayer has been made into a “Christmas wish list” instead of intimate conversation with the Lord. He knows all about me and He needs to know that I know all about me too!
Pressing On!
Dwayne