Praying Like a Kid #2 (Or How God Answers Like a Parent)

Back to Connor and his pumpkin…

There are several circumstances in which I will not get a pumpkin for my one-track mind son and it occurs to me that they can teach me something about God’s reactions to my prayers.

I will not take Connor to get a pumpkin:

--if he storms in and demands a pumpkin as his right.

--if he complains that I am unfair and never give him pumpkins.

--if the way he is handling the rest of his life (i.e., homework and chores) doesn’t line up with taking the afternoon to go pick pumpkins.

--if he asks for an entire truckload of pumpkins.

It’s not that Connor has to be perfect or ask perfectly in order to get a pumpkin (in which case we would never get any pumpkins). It’s just that because I am a parent I am going to provide pumpkins in a certain way--a way that will lead him to greater levels of maturity—knowing that he will lead a happier and healthier life in the long run.

There’s one other circumstance that will stop me from answering Connor’s requests for a pumpkin today. I won’t buy him a pumpkin if the timing is wrong. I won’t get Connor a pumpkin too early because it will rot before Halloween and I know he will be disappointed. I won’t get him a pumpkin when he asks at 7 am before church or 9 pm when he is in pajamas. I won’t get him a pumpkin when his sister is not available to go with us since I want both kids to enjoy pumpkin picking together. But rest assured, I will not wait too long since I know the best pumpkins will be gone soon. He needs to trust that I will take him for the pumpkin when the timing is right.

So when I bring my requests before God I’m going to try to remember to analyze them this way:

--Am I demanding something from God as a right? Or do I realize I am asking for a gift?

--Am I complaining that I never get anything from God? Or am I remembering all the good things He’s already given me?

--Am I expecting Him to do all the giving although I haven’t bothered to do the basics He expects from me?

--Am I being a greedy pig? Or am I trusting that whatever amount He gives me will be exactly the right amount?

-- And do I want my request answered right this second? Or do I trust that His timing is the best timing because He knows more than me about my future?