If you want to read the Bible, great. But if you want to read it in high definition blue-ray, then become a parent. I have studied the Bible for years, but never knew how shallow my understanding was until I had children. How can one truly understand verses about "Father God" unless you ARE a father? For years, I studied the Bible in "black and white", but it wasn't until I had children, that I saw it in color.
As a father, there is nothing good that I will withhold from my children, if it is in my power to give it. Asking for it is optional. If my child needs medicine, food, shelter, encouragement, ect., I'm on it! On the flip side, if my child wants something bad for them, it doesn't matter how much they ask. They're NOT getting it. This isn't deep. This is common sense, and elementary for any good parent.
So if God is a good father, why do we pray? If we believe that God will give us what is good, and withold what is bad, then what would be the logic behind prayer? On the surface, it seems like I'm wasting my time. I never asked this question until after I became a father. I want my child to be happy. I not only want to give him what he needs, but I want to give him what he wants.
I feel an example is needed. Let's pretend my son is sitting at the table eating his food. He looks up and asks, "Dad, may I have a brownie?" Because I'm a good father, my answer is no. I proceed to tell him that he needs to finish his dinner. After he finishes his dinner, he asks again. Because I'm a good father, my answer is now yes. What just happened? He asked twice and received two different answers. What changed? Am I schizophrenic Is God?
The purpose of prayer isn't to ask God to do something He is already going to do. The purpose of prayer isn't to ask God for something He isn't going to give. (You can't change God!) The purpose of prayer is to offer ourselves up to God so that WE can change. It was in my son's asking (prayer) that my answer (will) was known to him.
He could have responded in two ways. He could have expressed that my answer was not to his satisfaction, (whined) or he could have accepted my current answer and proceeded to do something about changing himself (finish his dinner). By changing himself, he would have gotten the answer he wanted to begin with. I am not a mean father, and neither is God. I don't like saying NO, and neither does God. All you good fathers know what I'm talking about. A father's joy is giving your family everything they want, not repeating "no" because you can. If I say "no" and don't explain my answer on their level, then I'm not being a good father, I'm either power-tripping or being lazy.
Now that I am a father, I pray different. No longer do I come to God with my daily Christmas list. I first come alone. I come to offer myself. And how do I offer myself? Well as funny as it sounds, I still bring my list. Again, it's in our asking that we reveal who WE are. If you really want to know someone. I mean really know. Ask them what they want. You are what you want. If you don't believe me, why is it so difficult to pray with your spouse, or with others? Prayer (bring your requests before God) is one of the most vulnerable things you can do. Have you ever prayed out loud? Have you ever listened to yourself pray? Did you sound selfish and pitiful? Let's be honest. When you pray, who is the servant and who is the master?!
Prayer is meant to be a daily, life changing event. Your requests reveal who you are, and God's answer reveal who He wants you to be. It is true that you cannot change God. The Bible says so. Because I'm a father, I understand the paradox. It's not that my mind changes, it's that my children do. When the child's attitude, maturity, motives, etc. change, so does the answer. Remember, my desire is to give them ALL that they want. There only job is to allow me to do it.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." John 15:7
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