In the past I have shared about my feelings regarding prayer lists that we present to God on our own behalf.  That list has the potential to become our “ Santa God list” – climb up on His lap and read off your desires.  We are all guilty.  One finger pointing at you, four pointing back at me.

I subscribe to a couple different “devotional” sites, some that end up in my inbox, some I need to log into each day.  I have not always been good at this “quiet time”, “alone with God time” or whatever you want to call it.  Do I need more of it – yes – so do you if you are pursuing a relationship with Him.  But…lately, so much of what I am reading either directly or indirectly, ends up talking about how to ask God for something.

Let me flesh this out.  I need a job, I need this relationship to work, I need to sell my house, I need, I need, I need.  So we acknowledge the needs.  Many of these sites tell us what we need to do is hand the desire over to God and be accepting of what His answer is in each of these need filled situations.  They say, if the answer is no – that means not now, if the answer is unclear- then we may be asking for the the wrong stuff, if the answer is yes – and I love this one the best – then we must have been doing our faith walk correctly. Hmmmmmm….. So what happens when two Christians are faithfully praying for the same job and only one gets it?  What happens when we ask for God to heal our loved one and they die (I know, they have been “ultimately” healed and are in God’s presence – but that is REALLY NOT  what we were asking for.)  The answer I seem to hear all the time is that I (we) need to change the way we pray.

Let me submit an idea …. how about if what we do is change the way we pursue a relationship with God?  How about if instead of just setting aside a time to study and pray that we incorporate God into our daily lives, minute by minute.  I know that the people I have the best relationships with are ones that I continually “bump” with my thoughts, ideas, desires, achievements, etc. I think that God might enjoy REALLY  being a part of our everyday. But how is that done?  I have no real idea, other than to say that we need to consciously decide and act on including Him. Think about all the time spent with people we “see”.  If we could find our own way of spending even 1/10 of that amount of time building our relationship with God, I can’t even imagine how our perspective would change.

That change, may eventually lead us to think differently about our life situations.  It may actually change the way we pray?  It just seems that we try to put God in this formal box and what he really wants is to be informal with us – more like a tight knit family. However, we make him a “get out the china dishes” guest. He wants to be that person that can show up even if the house is not clean, the laundry is not done, you are frustrated with your kids, you have just yelled at your husband, or whatever daily failures you are facing. And to be that person who is right there when you get the job, get the raise, have a new baby, get approved for the new house or whatever victories you are celebrating.  I am thinking he just wants to be a part of the day to day routine.  Just be with you.  Just wants you to be with Him.

So how about forgetting the wish list in your life – I know that there is instruction of being specific with prayer and I am not suggesting you throwing that out the window – just suggesting that you get the “being together” part down before talking with Him about what your desires are, because, who knows – those desires might just change.

Just minding my own business over here….