I was praying for my son - just starting to, and then I realized that what I was essentially asking God to do was to take away my son's freedom of choice and make him into a boy who is doing what I want. I stopped and it made me wonder - how many times do I say things to God as if He's going to go and control everyone's mind or actions? I still don't really understand prayer. Well I understand the relational part - "Hi God. It's me, Heidi. I love you. I was thinking... yadda yadda... what are you thinking?... just want to be with you..." You know, that kind. But the part where God is supposed to change something on earth just because we asked. What about that kind of prayer. Don't get me wrong, he's the King of kings, the omnipotent, omnipresent Creator of all of the universe and whatever else is out there. BUT God let Adam and Eve choose, he let his son choose... he made this world where humans and choice could co-exist. And so it does. And here we are. And still we are called to pray. Ask him for what? God wants relationship not dictatorship. He wants to be co-workers with us. So I was just thinking about it. Not that God's picky about us using the wrong phraseology... that's totally not it. Asking God to override someone else's freedom of choice shows a misunderstanding about who God is and how he works, so when I say I don't understand prayer, I mean I guess I am wrong about God and just realized it. .. God, Help my son to understand his choices. Let truth to come into his heart. Help him to see how loved he is. .. and teach me how to pray.

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M H I Y A said…
Heidi, I love how you give me good food for thought. I believe that one of the most amazing gifts that God gives us is choice. Yet I struggle to honour others choices sometimes...
2:12 PM
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