Sincere Prayer
Funny Things In Church - Nearly 40 years ago my dearest friend was asked to lead the opening prayer in worship. Someone whispered to him just as he was about to get up to the podium, "Pray for Sister______"
He prayed a wonderful prayer until he remembered the request. He prayed, "Lord, we ask you to bless Sister...and he couldn't remember her name. Silence! Then he decided to begin again hoping her name would come to him. "Lord, please bless Sister"... and he continued to forget. Then he blurted out, "Aw Lord, you know what her name is, please help her through her sickness." It was hard for people to keep a straight face when he said, Amen!
Sometimes we make our prayers too formal. Jesus criticized the Pharisees who for "appearances sake offer long prayers". (Mark 12:40) Such prayers tend to be speeches and not a sincere crying out to God. Sincere prayer God will hear. The Psalmist wrote, "Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication, the Lord receives my prayer." (Ps. 6:9)
He prayed a wonderful prayer until he remembered the request. He prayed, "Lord, we ask you to bless Sister...and he couldn't remember her name. Silence! Then he decided to begin again hoping her name would come to him. "Lord, please bless Sister"... and he continued to forget. Then he blurted out, "Aw Lord, you know what her name is, please help her through her sickness." It was hard for people to keep a straight face when he said, Amen!
Sometimes we make our prayers too formal. Jesus criticized the Pharisees who for "appearances sake offer long prayers". (Mark 12:40) Such prayers tend to be speeches and not a sincere crying out to God. Sincere prayer God will hear. The Psalmist wrote, "Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication, the Lord receives my prayer." (Ps. 6:9)
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