Ecclesiastes 5:2-6
Do not be hasty to speak, and do not be impulsive to makes a speech before God, God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.
I’ve always envied those that can pray like they are reading a best-selling poem. Like a love letter to God. Or the ones that know the 7 (or however many) parts to the perfect prayer that hits all the bases. I would do anything to be able to pray like them in front of a crowd, in my small group at church, or just in front of my little family at supper time.
Heck, I’d do anything to be able to pray out loud without saying “and umm…” 560 times in a 2 minute long prayer…. I’m just not a poetic prayer.
But, guess what, the “poeticness” (not really a word) of ‘those peoples’ prayers doesn’t make them any better. ‘Poeticness’ doesn’t put their prayers on God’s priorities list, nor does it fool God into thinking they have it all figured out.
Think of it like a Valentine card from your spouse — Your husband could go to the local drug store and pick out the most BEAUTIFUL Hallmark card with the sweetest, most thoughtful words already written inside of it; write his name at the bottom and give it to you, as is.
OR, he could grab a piece of printer paper and the markers out of the craft drawer and write you a cute little note (with a handful of words spelled wrong), some hand drawn hearts, and a heartfelt “I love you more” at the bottom.
Which would you prefer?
The latter, of course.
Just like we as women aren’t fooled by the flashy words of strangers, God isn’t fooled by fancy prayers. He wants sincerity, and honestly, he wants you to get to the point…. Why? Because He already knows what is on your heart. He IS in heaven, and you, my friend, are on earth. SO let your words be few….
Are you listening? Or are you too busy speaking?
Bring your listening ear to your prayer time. You are having a conversation with the Creator of the World, after all. There’s a good chance He has more wise words for you, than you do for Him.
Don’t waste all your time trying to convince him into going along with your plans; instead, lay your requests at His feet, and listen. We often don’t hear, because WE AREN’T LISTENING.
Ecclesiastes 5:2-6
When you make a vow to God, don’t delay fulfilling it, because He does not delight in fools. Fulfill what you vow.
How often do we have ‘good intentions’ when we speak to the Lord, but don’t take seriously the promises we make?
I can only answer that question for myself, and unfortunately, OFTEN.
God doesn’t delight in ‘good intention’. God delights in faithfulness.
Did you know, God NEVER said he was going to do something and then didn’t do it? Never. So you can about imagine how frustrating that would be, to be a person that always follows through, but to be constantly let down by the unmet vows of others.
God never beats around the bush, He never sugar-coats. When God says “yes”, HE MEANS YES. When God says “no”, HE MEANS NO.
We could take a note from His Book, (pun intended) and start being intentional with the vows we make before Him. If you don’t intend to follow through with something, then don’t say you will.
Lets just say, God isn’t the author of “it’s the thought that counts.”
Valentine’s Day, God, and your marriage.
In conclusion, God intended marriage to be a direct reflection of Himself and the church.
The lessons we can learn from our relationship with our spouse, and our relationship with the Lord, are SO SIMILIAR.
So, this Valentine’s Day…..
Spend time listening.
Spend quiet time with the Lord, lay your heart at his feet, and listen for what He lays back on it.
Spend time with your spouse, tell him what is on your heart, and LISTEN to what is on his.
Re evaluate your vows.
Re-evaluate the vows you have made before the Lord. Did you plan on following through when you made the vows, or did it just seem like the right thing to say?
Re-evaluate the vows you made to your spouse. Have your priorities slowly shifted since your wedding day? The vows you made that day are to be lived out each and every day, until death do you part.
Tell em’ how you feel.
No need to execute a perfect prayer, honesty is the only requirement.
Lastly, go ahead and write a heartfelt message to your spouse, on a sticky note or a piece of printer paper. Just, whatever you do, don’t buy a Hallmark Card.