Thursday, June 11, 2009

Sunscreen Prayers

I've been thinking about this lately as I feel like God is nudging maybe shoving me along in my prayer life. Sometime I pray "sunscreen prayers" and I bet you do to.

Here's what I mean. I sometimes pray prayers that "protect" God as if he can handle himself. I subconsciously and maybe self conscientiously seek to protect his image and reputation. So I pray safe prayers. You see if I go big, bold, and public with a prayer and then it doesn't turn out as you prayed or worse yet you don't feel as though you see any result you are left to explain God's action or inaction to your friends, co-workers, spouse, kids etc.

Sunscreen prayers are weak:

Consequently we can fall into the trap and pattern of praying "sunscreen prayers." "God if it's your will, would you consider..." They are weak prayers, surface prayers stripped of power. God has been dealing with me rather directly in my personal prayer life lately not to protect him. He can handle himself. We need to pray big, bold, passionate...and yes, PUBLIC prayers and let God handle his reputation.

SPF zero!
When was the last time we prayed like this: [Full Text] "In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord...if you will only look upon your servants misery and remember me and not forget your servant..." No sunscreen in that prayer!! It was full of raw emotion and if you read the rest of the text she was requesting a miracle. As you look through the pages of Scripture you will see that it seems as though God attaches himself and reveals in himself in a unique way to this kind of prayer. How about your prayers? Any sunscreen? God doesn't need us to protect him. God is revisiting this truth with me right now--maybe you should journey with me!

**What are you praying for right now that only God could accomplish? Does anyone else know you are praying for it? Don't keep it secret--don't protect God!

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