I want to pray neat prayers.
Dear God, please bless my family. Keep us safe as we travel to exciting places and heal our allergies so we can have a fabulous time and post envious pictures on Facebook. Bless us with perfect weather and a long drive off the tee box. Oh yeah, and may everything I do bring You honor and glory.
Yeah right…
NASTY PRAYERS
My prayers aren’t neat, in fact they are kind of nasty. When life is messy, I pray messy prayers. Nowadays I pray out loud, sometimes really loud. I identify with David’s gut-level honest prayers. I don’t know if it’s biblical but when I read “My foot is slipping,” from Psalms, I yell it. You might question my reverence, but never my sincerity. I am brutally honest when I talk to God and lately I’ve not been talking very nice. I know He hears me when I whisper, but I want Him to know how much I mean it.
He hears me when I yell
He hears me when I whisper
He knows my silent thoughts
Since He already knows anyway, I suspect He can handle it. You may want to unfollow me now.
Psalm 139:4, “I’m never out of your sight. You know everything I’m going to say before I start the first sentence.” MSG
TALKING TO GOD
I probably don’t pray like you think I do. Don’t get me wrong, I talk to God; throughout the day. If He’s not real, I probably need to be hauled off in a straight-jacket. Okay, you can keep your comments to yourself.
I don’t pray like I used to either. Need drives my prayers to new heights.
Need drives you to a new height of prayer #pray #rtp Click To TweetOr maybe this is a new depth. Either way, I’m off the deep end.
Psalm 72:12, “He will rescue the poor when they cry out to him, he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them.” NLT
WANT NEAT PRAYERS?
I have some advice. Pray for your Aunt Betty’s neighbor’s hip surgery and a good parking place at the grocery store when it’s raining. Prayers for a comfy life are easier than pouring out your heart. You may get smooth sailing, but without much investment, don’t expect much return.
Luke 6:24-26, “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.” ESV
URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!
I want a comfortable life. I want the trials to be over. I want wealth, health and happiness. Or do I? During my year of Sabbath rest imposed by myasthenia gravis, I found the greatest blessing is the very presence of God. He is near to the broken-hearted. So I will embrace the messiness of life.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” NIV
I think I’m praying more now but:
They are ugly prayers
And they are beautiful prayers
And they are desperate prayers
Most of all they are honest prayers
Psalm 119:25, 28 , 37″My life is down in the dust; give me life through your word… I am weary from grief; strengthen me through your word. Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in Your ways.” HCSB
I challenge you to get real with God. I assure you, He can handle it. If I haven’t offended you too much and you want next week’s post in your inbox, enter your email address and join me on the porch. I am praying for you today. Pray for me too.
Thank you so much for this post. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that prays out loud. I feel that God is very near when I just pour out my heart . God bless you!
It’s definitely something I started now that I am home alone more.
No offense at all. We don’t need each other’s piety. I have a hunch God loves the desperate cries of His beloved. I believe He is delighted that we know where to take our impossibilities so He can make them possible so we are wowed as He brings glory to Himself or gives us strength, peace and purpose in the wait. Meanwhile…He will hear from us!!! Thank you, Jesus!!!
He does love our desperate cries doesn’t He? Thanks
This is so honest and real. I have prayed and prayed for my son and his wife over the last several years: ugly prayers, betrayed prayers, frustrated prayers. But, I’ve never left alone. He’s never gotten mad back and left me. The truth is I am not promised understanding. My job is to have faith and trust. I continue to hold them up in the light…and pray and plead. Thanks so much for this Vickie.
Keep on sister!
Oh my word, did I ever need this encouragement!! Many thanks, Vickie!
You know I write to myself
It’s difficult to deal with ongoing medical problems with the Lord. My prayers are often messy now, especially when I am up many hours or am trying to recover from long periods of sleep. I’m alone a lot.
Sorry for your struggles. I hope they indeed draw you closer to the Lord
Hi Vickie, nice to meet you. I don’t know why anyone would be offended by this post. It’s truth, and beautiful truth. 🙂 Funny…I wrote about prayer this week too. 🙂 Lovely to be your linkup buddy at Live Then Give this morning. 🙂 ((grace upon grace))
I always envision that image of prayer with head bowed and eyes closed. But this is real
Excellent post, Vicky. As you said, he knows it all anyway and wants us to bring the good, the bad and the ugly to him. I’ve learned that when we’re ready to get real and talk to the Lord about the important things, he’s ready to listen and to send his well-timed help. But in the meantime, he is so gracious in his answers to the seemingly insignificant things.
Definitely the good, bad and ugly
Thank you for linking up today!! I really enjoyed reading your post. I learned a while back that God does not need my courtesy prayers. I’m trying to be more real and raw with Him. 😀
Courtesy prayers, yeah, I’m guilty of that too
So nice to meet you via RaRaLinkup Vickie!! I love this. My private, all throughout all the day, kinda constant prayers are also messy, ugly, sometimes loud, and often driven by need. Do you know “When I’m With You” by Citizen Way? One of the lines I pray/sing loudest is “I’m not too much for you to take.” Thanks for sharing, Vickie, I’m with you in the raw but rewarding relationship here!
Great quote and such a perfect fit. Glad to connect