Katie's prayer: Karl Zimmerman's "From My Knees"

Not too long ago, I saw this movie called “5 Children and It.” (really good movie if you haven’t seen it, you should!) These 5 children are sent off to their uncles house while their dad is sent off to war and mom becomes a war nurse. While wandering around the house one day, they enter the one forbidden room in the greenhouse. Through a special door in the greenhouse, they find themselves on a beach. On this beach, they find “It” - a magical sand fairy. Who, of course, like most fairies, can grant wishes. What the kids don’t know when they make their first wish (for all their chores to be done), it will only last until sunset, and things will go horribly wrong shortly before sunset (instead of cleaning, they start destroying the house). Throughout the story, they continue to make wishes (even after knowing the consequences... silly kids). Things go wrong, the wish doesn’t last, then they go back and do it all over again.

As I was reflecting on tonight’s song, I realize my prayer life is kinda similar. Every day, going to God - “the granter of wishes” - and making my wish known. ‘Cept God isn’t quite as nice as the sand fairy, He doesn’t always grant those wishes. Like the kid’s wishes, they are selfish and foolish and in the end will not give me what I really need. I noticed during tonight’s song - which is all about prayer - doesn’t mention anything about wishing once. No “Dear God, I want this.” No “Dear God, I need this.” No “Please God, give me this.” It’s all just worshipping God for who He is. It’s all just following God and taking the crosses that we have to bear. It’s all about proclaiming God’s greatness. It’s all about just being with God.

Near the end, the time comes for the children to leave their uncles house. They go to say good-bye to the magic sand fairy. It just so happens to be his birthday. When he sees them (earlier than he would like to be awake), he automatically assumes they are there to make a wish, tells them to wait until he wants to be awake. They inform him that, no, they are just there to say good-bye. They are there to have a party for him for this birthday. They are there to give him presents and just enjoy his presence. He’s a little surprised, but joins in the fun with them.

I don’t want my prayer life to be like that. I don’t want to go to God to just worship Him, to just spend time with Him, to give Him presents, and for Him to be surprised by that. I want to get to the point where most of my prayer life is like this song instead of asking for something. I want to get to the point in my prayer life where God is surprised when I wish for something. Now the problem is that I’ve grown so accustomed to treating God like a wish-maker, I’m not quite sure how to reverse my thinking and my praying.