A Simple Prayer

Isaac has learned how to pray - it is such a sweet thing to hear. He closes his eyes, folds his hands very intently, and says, "Ear-Oh (Dear God), Eee-you (Thank you), I uh you (I love you), Amen."

Because he's only three, he can't pray more extensively than this. This is as complex as his prayers get! It's all he can say.

And it occurred to me that sometimes, Isaac's little prayer is all I can say, too. Sometimes there is so much on my heart that there's just not words or a way to describe it all. Sometimes just telling the Lord I love Him is all I can say ~ and all that needs to be said. Sometimes just saying "Thank-you, God" is enough.

Remember that God doesn't care about mindless prayers. He doesn't want us to say things just for the sake of saying things; He wants us to speak to Him from our hearts.

"But when ye pray, use not vain repititions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him."

Matthew 6:7-8

It's easy, when we pray, to fall into the same habits of prayer; especially when it's in front of others. It's easy to blindly stumble through a "Thank you for this food, Amen" routine. But we've got to remember to Whom we are speaking - the King of the whole universe! He wants gratitude from a sincere heart!

Don't ramble and repeat your same prayers over and over again; really talk to God. Pray to Him from your heart, and tell Him what you're really feeling or thinking. I can gurantee you, He already knows what you are going through right now; there's nothing He won't understand!

"Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding."

Isaiah 40:28

The simple prayer we taught Isaac is the most basic, most foundational prayer he will ever learn. It is so important to remember just what an incredible God we are talking to when we pray; and it's equally important that we really speak to Him from our hearts.