Lesson 9: God is Personal in Prayer

The very first thing that's going to change in your life when you realize that God is Personal is this: it changes how you pray. When we realize that God is Personal, then the first way we will not pray to Him is by a repetition of pretty phrases. And to help illustrate the foolishness of doing this in our personal relationship with God we look at it through the eyes of another personal relationship, a marriage. For instance, you tell me what it would sound like if I were to communicate to my wife Brandie using these repetitions of pretty phrases:

"Oh Brandeth, I loveth youeth. Thou arteth the cooleth wifeth I could ever haveth."

 Or how about this one. "Hail Brandie, full of grace. Wife of Billy, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among wives."

That sounds silly! But how silly is it when we do that in prayer to God? Do we think we can impress God by our flowery words? If I spoke to my wife that way it would inhibit our relationship, right? How much more is this behavior going to inhibit our personal relationship with God if we fail to realize He is right here with us?

Second, if we realize that God is Personal, then the next thing we avoid in prayer is a marathon of words. For instance, what if I were to come home and talk to my wife like this speaking as fast as I can:

"Hi-Brandie-I’m-glad-to-be-home-it's-great-to-see-you-and-I-just-want-to-let-you-know-that-you-are-the-most-incredible-woman-the-world-and-l-can-never-even-think-living-a-day-without-you-and-oh-by-the-way-what's-for-supper?"


Now that was silly. But how different is it when we do that in prayer to God? Do we think we can impress God by our fast and furious words? Besides, if I only spoke to my wife by cramming in as many words as I could in the shortest amount of time, then would this not be saying that she is not important enough to me to take quality time to talk to her? What kind of a message are we sending to God when we do that to Him? Have we forgotten that He is right here with us?

If we realize that God is Personal then the third way we will not pray to Him is by a fantastic formula. For instance, what if I were to come home and talk to my wife like this:

"Oh Brandie, I adore you. You are the greatest wife in the world."

 Okay, step two. "Oh Brandie, I confess that I'm an unworthy husband. How you could love me is beyond my comprehension."

 Next. "Oh Brandie, I thank you for all that you have done and for being the best wife ever."

Or. "Oh Brandie, I humbly ask that you would provide a morsel of meat for me. And lead me not unto temptation, but deliver me from food I dislike!"

Do you agree that sounds crazy? But how crazy is it when we do that in prayer to God? Do we try to impress God by our religious formulas? Besides, if I did speak to my wife that way it ruins all the spontaneity in our relationship. How much more is this behavior going to ruin the spontaneity in our relationship with God? Have we forgotten that He is right here with us?

* How does the idea of talking with God person-to-person change how you pray?