Rubbing the Lamp

I was thinking this morning of a cartoon I remembered seeing of someone rubbing and rubbing on a magic lamp and then all of a sudden this big purple Genie sleepily emerges through the narrow spout! He grumpily asks what is wanted? He grants three wishes. Sometimes it seems that we approach God this way. It is like we expect that we are going to rub the magic lamp.... out He will emerge, when we need Him only, we will tell Him our wishes and they will automatically be granted! I am learning so much about prayer lately.  God doesn't want to  be a "magic Genie" for us when we are in trouble. He wants to hear from us everyday. Not to command our wishes upon Him but to thank Him for who He is and for all He has already done. Prayer is not a magical thing that is to be used to get our own way! It is a method of communication between man and God, which if we are talking everyday then we will know what He is saying and doing. There is a phrase that Christians love to go around saying...."Prayer Changes Things"......no prayer does not change things.... prayer changes the attitude I have toward those things.  My prayers are just useless chatter...it is God's love and mercy and power that does anything at all.  Whenever people hear of "bad" news they say they will pray .....what they are really saying is they are going to "tell" God to take this away because He doesn't know what He is doing. I have learned over the years that what God really wants from me is just to acknowledge His all knowing Hand in my life, accept what He gives and accept what He takes. His grace is enough for one day at a time and that is all that I need. I think it is time to stop praying as if God is a "Genie in the sky" who is going to grant you everything your little heart desires.. He sees the whole picture whereas we do not. He knows what is best for me and who am I to question that? He is a loving Father...which means He truly wants and does whatever is the best for me. So why not trust in that and stop trying to get my three wishes granted?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto thine own understanding."~Proverbs 3:5