God, Make It Tokyo

A mother was passing her 8 year-old son's room and overhead his night time prayer.

"Please, God, make it Tokyo," the boys pleaded in earnest. "Please make it Tokyo."

"Son, I couldn't help but overhear your prayer last night," she asked the next morning a breakfast."What were you asking God to do with Tokyo."

He looked down sheepishly. "We had a geography test yesterday, Mom. I wanted God to make Tokyo the capital of France, like I answered on my paper."

Ah, yes . . . The things we ask for us in prayer. I'm must admit to being like this young man -- asking God to clean up mistakes I've made or fix situations where I second guessed the right thing to say.

Hang on, now. Please don't stop reading because you think I've got some mystical or hyper-spiritual point to make about prayer.

Truth is, I would be a very rich man if I had a nickel for every how-to, must-do, formulated, success-guaranteed, name-and-claim, sermon and teaching I've heard on the subject of conversation with the Divine. Frankly, most of those methods are a lot like trying to wear someone else's shoes.

Recently, while I strapped in a tumbling car at 2:15 AM, I didn't have the time to fold my hands, kneel in a sanctuary, wait for the appropriate organ music to start with a "Dear Heavenly Fa-a-a-a-ther." To the sound of grinding, twisting metal I squeezed out, "Lord, help me through this, help me through this."

I'm learning that's what prayer really is; God is bigger than me and my situation. Letting go of the controls of your life is a real pride killer. Admitting, He can, . . . I can't.

Maybe that's it -- prayer is designed to change me more than have my shopping list filled by the God of the Universe.

Okay. I'll admit it. Most of my life I've tried to use prayer like Aladdin and the Magic Lamp. God was some eternal Genie, who would was there to grant my wishes if I massaged the lamp just the right way. And there are plenty of teachers and preachers who have "massage" techniques they claim guarantee success.

"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. . . . Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace." Matthew 6:7-8,6 The Message

Prayer won't make Tokyo the capital of France, but it does help me find a purpose in the daily issues confronting me. . .

Prayer may not change my circumstances, but, in situations I never faced, it will give me wisdom how to respond. . .

Prayer may not remove the pain from human relationships or lack of them, it affirms I am not alone.