How are you praying?

So God gave us prayer for many reasons. To thank Him, to ask of Him, but mainly just to talk to Him. He wants to know our hearts. He wants to know what's going on. Can He simply read our minds and be done with us? Sure He can, but He wants us to talk to Him. If I could read my wife's thoughts, it might be kind of cool for a little while, but I will lose the interaction that forms an important part of our relationship. If I am just sitting there absorbing her thoughts it is just a one-way form of communication. She gets nothing in return. This is how it is with God. He wants to interact with us, and in that interaction miracles happen. That is where we know that we are not alone. That is where we know Christ is alive. That is where we know that we are not living by blind faith. This ultimately is the confirmation of our faith.

But maybe you pray all the time and you feel like you don't get a response. Maybe you are praying with selfish motives. Maybe it is all about you. What if someone you loved was always asking you for things and not once asking how you are doing or what they could do for you? That is what is called a high maintenance friend. Well that is true of a lot of Christ followers. They are high maintenance Christians. God wants to be your friend where the relationship is a two way street. He wants you to come to Him for things, but He also wants to come to you for things. He wants to know that you are willing to follow where He leads. When asking for things, it needs to be in line with His Kingdom and His will.

So next time that you offer up a prayer to God, think about how you are asking it and how would you feel if you were on the receiving end. This is not to say that you can't just cry out to Him when you need Him. Like any good friend He will be there for you to listen and care. He loves you and wants you to know that. I think that He just wants to have a relationship with you like any other person. He is not as distant as we make Him. He is as close as we let Him. So I guess it is kind of like the Golden Rule: Treat God like you would want to be treated. Talk to Him and he will talk to you!!!