Driving to work at 5 am…in the dark…definitely gives me time to think, meditate, pray and enjoy my morning tumbler of coffee. I actually don’t mind being on the road at that time of the morning. Even with the traffic during that pre-dawn hour, it’s actually pretty peaceful. Sometimes I listen to the radio and scan different stations and listen to preaching and/or worship music while other times I turn the radio off and enjoy the silence.
This week as I was driving with the radio off, I was praying aloud. Yes, I feel like I need to talk out loud–it helps me keep my thoughts together–it’s dark remember, no one can see my mouth moving. 😉
As I was talking to God and pouring out my list of needs (again) to him, I became distracted with the fact that I actually had another “needs list” to present to him. I mean really, that’s all I feel I pray about sometimes…my needs list. It’s always something going on…whether it be with my personal life, the kids, finances or whatever…and I talked to him about that, feeling guilty (again) while doing so.
But as I continued to speak aloud, he reminded me that is what he’s here for. As our Heavenly Father, he wants to provide for us. He reminded me that our needs are daily needs…..”Give us this day, our daily bread”…not weekly, monthly or yearly bread, but daily bread. It’s not that we have one-time needs that are met and then that’s it. If that were the case, then we probably wouldn’t go to him as often in prayer (if at all). Providing for us in our time of need shows us his provision for us and shows us his love for us.
Isn’t God cool!? I was so appreciative of that! It really made me feel less guilty about going to him with the same prayer requests over and over again. Now, I do know that I have a part to play in all of this…I can’t continue to make the same mistakes over and over and think he’s gonna continue to bail me out. That’s not necessarily what I’m talking about.
But God is a God of mercy and provision. He wants to show off how much he loves us and what he can do for us! He wants us to have needs, so we’ll rely on him to provide for us in those needs.
Because when that happens, our prayer life will begin to change from more of a “needs list” to a praise and thank you list.
I have come that they (meaning you) may have life and have it to the fullest. John 10:10 (NIV version)
I love how the Amplified Bible reads: I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance to the full, till if overflows.
Do you have a time when God provided you with a specific need request? I bet you do? Share it below, I’d love to hear it!
And just for the fun of it. Aunt Stacy texted me this picture this morning (circa 2005).
Happy Saturday!