|
|
Bible Questions and Spiritual Discussion
|
Conversations with God
|
|
Hi again, I don't mean to be a pest but I have another question! In today's DAB podcast (Jan 27th), Brian suggested that we just simply talk with God as opposed to asking him for stuff all the time. I've often found myself in regular every day conversation with him but then I worry because somewhere in the Bible (and I'm so new that I couldn't possibly remember where I read this) Jesus is talking and He says something about not using so many words when we pray...we should be to the point. (maybe conversation does not equal praying...I don't know?) At any rate, when I think of that section in the Bible, I get nervous that I'm speaking too much.
That's a dumb question, I know (yes, there is such a thing!) ha ha. But, I'm just trying to do everything correctly. :-P
|
|
Treepose 01/27/2015 07:14 |
|
| |
Catholica
|
02/02/2015 10:36 |
The passage you are referring to, I believe, is:
Matthew 6
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
7 “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
In particular I think v. 7 is important. The Gentiles, who were in essence, the pagans at that time, thought that by saying many words in their prayers that the gods would have to listen to them. That basically their idea of God was not one of an omniscient god who would be able to know everyone's thoughts, nor really an omnipotent god who could hear everyone at once and answer their prayers. So it seems that the gentiles believed that they were in some sort of shouting match with other people before their gods in order to be heard and answered.
Our God is not like that, he hears every word you pray, so it is not _necessary_ for you to use lots of words in order to gain God's attention. So in your heart you shouldn't use lots of words _in order to believe you are being heard_. However that doesn't mean that you can't use lots of words if you have a lot to say. Just don't believe that you have to in order for God to hear you, because God will hear your words and everyone else's too and deal with every prayer in its time.
So rest assured, you can use as many words as your heart leads you to speak to God. There is nothing wrong with it. Just know that God will hear you whether you use few or many.
|
| |
Grace
|
02/04/2015 13:40 |
I agree with Catholic 100%. I would print out her answer, its great. I also talk to God on a very regular basis, I was once told that maybe I talked to God too much. However, from what I gather - about 98% of my prayers get answered. So, I figured he does not mind my constant interaction with him. However, there are times when I say Lord, I am in need of xyz or so and so needs xyz and I am about to enter into some serious prayer. I could have talked to him all day, but for that 1/2 hour I begin to concentrate and really set that time out for genuinely seeking solutions, voicing great concerns, anything. I at times may even repeat something him and I discussed earlier. My Rev. said - How many times do you speak with your best friend daily, I said lots. Then she said - when you are in a great need, and call your friend again, how does the conversation diff. I said - the tones becomes a little more serious. She said ok. God is the Most Important, talk to him like your closest friend, regularly and knowing the difference between - I love talking to you and sharing my life with you, and Roger, we have an emergency, how are we going to get through this. I would rather talk to God too much, then call on him out of the blue, I would not even do that to a friend I barely call, they might hang up on me. Hope this helps!
|
| |
Treepose
|
02/04/2015 17:44 |
Hi Cathlica and Grace,
Thanks so much for chiming in. Matthew 6 is what I was referring to...it's what made me nervous that I wasn't being succinct enough! I am sort of a rambler by nature and I find myself stopping mid sentence most times and finally just saying "ok, I have no idea what I'm trying to say but You do" and then I trail off and say Amen. ha ha. And, Grace what you wrote about talking to God as my closest friend makes a ton of sense too.
Thanks to you both! That's so helpful! I love this community. I'm so grateful! Truly.
Hugs,
Lisa
|
| |
Treepose
|
02/04/2015 17:45 |
*Catholica...sorry I spelled your name incorrectly!
|
| |
Catholica
|
02/10/2015 14:00 |
Just think of God as a perfectly patient, perfectly loving, Father who wants an intimate relationship with you and cares about you more deeply than anyone you have ever known.
Not only does God not care about you saying a lot of words, but He is hanging on every word you pray, they are so precious to Him.
|
| |
Treepose
|
02/10/2015 17:07 |
That's beautiful!!!!!! Thank you!
|
|
