It is a great honest question. Do your prayers reflect that you were created to serve God? I know I sometimes get it twisted!!
This thought recently sat like a two ton elephant in my thoughts as I ran on my treadmill in the garage. It is an amazing thought to know that we pray, speak, and communicate with an all powerful God. He can create something from nothing, bring life to the dead and split seas. It is probably just human nature to reach out to him knowing he can do it all.
I know my kids often lead their time with their dad with what he can do for them. They have known all their lives that he supplies their needs and better yet, their wants. They make sure he is aware of what they are into and what their newest obsession seems to be. They rarely spend their time asking about him.
As I have become an adult kid, (yes, I am the baby in the family), I realize I spend a lot more of my time with my dad asking about his daily life. Our conversations are balanced and relational in both directions. We do not live close, so I am usually even asking about details like “How is your work commute?” It is a level of maturity for adult children to realize they are not the center of the world. It’s hard I know. When we were kids, my dad spoke out of authority and we listened out of respect. Now it is an invited conversation. Not only do we respect him, we want to know more.
I want to be equally mature in my relationship with the Lord. I want to stop long enough to hear him speak to my heart. It is the relationship that I value most, not the benefits of his resources and power. He created us to serve and we will never be truly fulfilled until we have found a way to serve in some capacity. Any good found in us was put there by God.
I have seen in both of my boys a place of contentment when they can serve. For those moments, life is not about them. My oldest has found his place running big, expensive cameras for specific services at our church. While his immaturity in spiritual things leaves him still wishing to miss church and sleep in on a Sunday morning, he would never ask to cancel the service where he is scheduled to serve. It is the way God created him.
My youngest is not in love with sitting in school to learn, but has recently found his happy place in a leadership group where he is given the responsibility to help kindergartners with their breakfast. He walks around as the big, cool fourth grader and he gives high 5’s and helps them open packets and pick up their trash. On those days, he is up extra early and ready to be at school 40 minutes early.
photo cred: Natalie Taylor Wood
I want to always be reminded that I was created to serve and I want my prayers to reflect that desire.