If you would
rather watch than read click here: http://youtu.be/L48ANcdyZpA
In the movie, Meet the Parents, Ben Stiller offers a prayer at a family meal time that was awkward. Ben, playing the part of Greg, when he was asked to pray, didn’t know what to say. He began addressing God with words outside his normal vocabulary. He used a voice different than his normal conversational tone. It was so noticeable several opened their eyes to see what changed.
He soon exhausted any original thoughts, so he began to quote the words to the Godspell tune, Day by day these three things I pray: to see Thee more clearly, to love Thee more dearly and to follow Thee more nearly day by day by day. Amen!
I laugh every time I see the movie clip because I can identify! Maybe you are laughing now remembering the scene. What isn’t funny is finding yourself in the in the place where you want to pray but don’t know what to say.
Prayer at its essence is simply talking to God. You can pray aloud, under your breath, or simply by thinking thoughts in your head toward God, and He hears. Speak to Him conversationally. No special prayer voice or preacher’s vocabulary is necessary.
I admit it does seem a little odd in the beginning to talk aloud to someone you can’t see. To focus you may close your eyes. But remember, closing your eyes or folding your hands isn’t a requirement. You already have the attention of the Creator of the Universe.
Know that He loves you so much He died for you and nothing pleases Him more than for you to talk to Him. He longs to hear your voice. Include God in your everyday life, and you’ll find you have a relationship moving away from ritual or routine toward love.
Gary Kendall
www.livingsent.net/devotionals
Week 3, Three Things I Pray, Day 3, Devo 13