This week while praying, I mentioned to God again how strange it is, that he should desire our prayers. “What good are my prayers to you, really? What do we possibly have to offer you? Why would you want to partner with us?”
An image of my step dad came to me. I remember going to visit in my early twenties, and he would be sitting at the kitchen table. Often, he would say, “Well girl, I was just about to go do some chores. Why don’t you come out and help me?” We both knew that I wasn’t much help at all. He and my mom lived on a small farm and had a few animals to care for.
My step dad asked for my presence, because he wanted to spend time with me. He’d take me out to the barn and show me his latest treasures from an auction, a new animal he’d gotten, or something that he did or planned to do. Sometimes, I did most of the talking. Other times, he did most of the talking. He’d tell me stories about his work, his younger years, or maybe my mom.
He could have waited to do these little chores without me, or left me to myself, but he chose to include me in a part of his life. He didn’t need my help. There wasn’t that much to do, and he didn’t ask me to do much more than accompany him or some small task.
God loves you. He wants to spend time with you. He loves to hear your voice speaking to him in prayer. He wants to share his heart with you and what he has planned. It’s okay if you do most of the talking sometimes, but he also wants to speak to you. Yes, he could do things on his own, but he wants to build relationship.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. (Mk. 1:35)
Melicia Evans 