You can take it all...

Many of our discussions with people lately have been about prayer. What can we ask God for? What will he respond to? When will we see results? What if what we pray for doesn't happen? Does that mean we shouldn't pray again? And lately, I've been feeling that all those questions are poppycock, to be honest. The questions everyone should be asking is what CAN'T we ask God for. I've mentioned before how I have developed a constant dialogue with God all day long. I have my time in the morning, but then I also am thanking him or praising him all throughout the day. Occasionally those little prayers are requests, but I ask about everything. Even the little things. The other day I prayed while on my way to do some grocery shopping. I prayed that God would keep me accountable while I was shopping and that he would close my eyes to temptation. And you know, I stayed within my budget.

Right now I'm taking my bills to the Lord. Seriously. I get that statement from the energy company and I pray that God will place the funds in our hands when we need it. And he does. I pray when Zander is in tears because we can't find something special of his that we will find it- and you know we always do. I pray when another fish dies in Abigail's fish tank, that she will be understanding and not be upset and sad. I pray for all the requests that get passed along throughout the day, or if I hear about someone going through a rough time, a prayer is said immediately. This was put the to the test last week as I received an unexpected phone call from someone in distress. I instantly prayed for wisdom to say the right things, listen when I should listen, and for the comfort of those on the other end of the line.

The point is, we can take anything and everything to God. Even our wants and desires. Why not? God wants us to be happy, he wants us to ask him for the desires of our heart. The way I see it, I can pray for that big house with the kitchen I really really want. And while I do know it's on the horizon, it's in God's hands, and it will be there when the time is ready and God is ready for us to have it. And if God decides that house isn't for me... well then that just means that he actually has something better in mind for me. And how can I argue with that!

What brought this all to mind today was reading in 2 Kings, chapter 19. Specifically, verses 14-19.

"Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : "O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.

17 "It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. 18 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men's hands. 19 Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."

Hezekiah received a frightening letter. And what did he do with it? Rather than fret about it and worry about it and spread the worry tot he rest of the people, he took it to God. He took a physical letter to God and spread it out for God to read. He took his worries to God directly, and asked God to take care of the army on the way. And God most certainly did. The angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrian troops that were on their way to Judah to defeat them.

That right there is proof that it is worth it to take all our cares and worries and desires to God.