There is only one limit to what prayer can accomplish, and that is what God is able to do.
"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:14
A couple of weeks ago I wanted my youngest to help me cook supper. He's a wonderful, smart and capable teenage boy, so I decided it was time for him to learn a few things about taking care of himself. Then we started to go through the process of making supper.
"Grab a pan and fill it with water," I said.
"Now peel these potatoes like this," I explained. "Be careful not to cut your finger."
We were doing a great job together. Until it came to the can opener. Not the manual type, but one of the kitchen counter electric openers we all have.
"Open this can and then put it in the pot?" I asked. He took the can went to the can opener and held it up under it.
"Dad, it's not working I think it's broke," he sincerely said.
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing.
He tried and tried a few more times, each time me laughing even more until finally he got frustrated and said, "I don't know what's so funny. It's broke!"
A few days later I was at the Church cooking for a Wednesday night meal. My youth director, who is a wonderful, caring smart young man, was helping. I asked him to open up a can.
He took the can and held it under the can opener and said, "I think it's broke."
Just the other day, I have all three of my boys in for Christmas, I decided it would be awesome if we all made some pies. So I called them into the kitchen and we started cooking. I asked my middle son who is a wonderful, caring smart college student to open a can for me.
He took it to the can opener and held it underneath it and said, "Dad, I think it's broke."
I started to laugh and my oldest son who is a wonderful, caring smart military man said, "What's so funny. I tried it and it's broke."
After a while with all the boys and my youth director, I took the can, lifted the lever, sat it back down and watched as the can magically turned around and around.
I'm not sure why I found it so funny. I'm not sure how grown men can go through life not knowing how to open a can. But I am positive they'll remember how to open a can now.
I joke at the expense of my boys and youth director but it also reminds us of a simple truth. Sometimes the easiest things are the hardest to do.
Take praying for example.
It's so easy to do and yet it's the one thing so many of us find tough. It's hard to find time to pray. You're really not sure what to pray about. You feel bad because your prayers sounds like a Christmas list to Santa. You think only religious people know how to pray or the one that I hear quite often, "why would God want to listen to what I have to say?"
How can you have a friendship without talking? How can you have a successful marriage if you never say a word to your spouse? How can you operate a business without communicating with those around you?
You can't.
Talking is so easy for us to do. And many of us have become quite proficient at it. And that is what praying is all about. Talking to God.
You don't have to use all the "thee's and thou's" God just wants to hear about your day. What you're worried about. What you hope for. It's not hard or complicated. In fact it really is one of the most simple things you can do in life. And the results are so much better than a can of peas.
Let us pray.
Dear God. We come to you today asking that you hear our prayers we offer to you. Whatever station in life we are in today we ask for your guidance and love to fill our hearts and minds. Let us know that we are loved by you. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.
Religion on 01/14/2015