MEDITATION:
Written by James Dobson, a contemporary author and his wife Shirley Dobson, a contemporary author and chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. This is an excerpt from their book “Night Light for Couples.”
It’s tempting for some of us to view our Lord as a heavenly “Mr. Fix‐It”—a supernatural problem solver who can be manipulated according to our whims. We might make a little wager on our favorite football team and then pray for God to intervene so our team will win. Or on the day of the church picnic, we might pray for a rainstorm, so we don’t have to fix that potato salad we promised to bring. Others see prayer as a negotiating tool. They want to make a deal with God: “Lord, if You give me this promotion at work… or allow me to get pregnant this month…or let that car at the dealership still be on sale… then I promise I’ll do [fill in the blank] for You.” Of course, these are foolish bargains that reveal a misunderstanding of the majesty of God. He is Lord of lords, King of kings, and Creator of all heaven and earth. He is not a deal-maker who allows Himself to be manipulated. Instead, He wants us to carefully consider His will for our lives before we pray. Prayer is a privilege—a direct line to the Lord’s eternal wisdom and love. Let’s not forget what a blessing it is just to come into His presence.
PRAYER:
Today’s prayer is from the authors of today’s meditation.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the privilege of bringing our requests to You. Give us a deep desire for Your will—not ours—and help us to shape our prayers and our priorities accordingly. Amen.
Pathways Press.com 