Prayer Warrior?

Had a strange experience today... I prayed with my wife.

We used to pray together more years ago, but since God took us through the many church people rejections, well, she just didn’t seem interested and, and neither did I.

Look, judge if you want to, no, please do. I would love to see what He does to defend me to an accusation of arrogance, foolishness, or waywardness.

It was a hard thing to go through years of rude, hateful and dismissive goats in churches between Arizona to Florida and Texas to New Hampshire. As I have written, I didn’t fully understand why until Florida only 3 years ago. Now that I do, I know the problem wasn't on my end...

God is going to judge the Goats. The fake believers who really think they are saved because of their wisdom, wonderfulness and general worth. They will never understand that Grace is necessary because they really, really stink. They won't, because He never intended to give it to them.

No, God's purpose and plan for difficulty and pain is reserved for those who He calls to follow His son. Sure, it isn't fun, but it WILL be worth it.

Me, I am more than cool with this. Martha, on the other hand, is still reeling internally from our past 20 years of terrible fellowship. She has zero desire to go to a church, ministry or even "christian" labeled event. Hypocrites, yes, but mean and nasty jerks while being hypocrites is the worst.

Frankly, I really don't want to go either, but as one of the "least", I have to... it is my job.

So, feel free, mock away... please, I want to see if He will do something!

I always like to watch Him work.

Now, back to the odd prayer. My relationship with God has changed a lot over the years since we have prayed together. I just don't pray the same way anymore. I don't need to.

When I was a newbie, they teach you in church to start off with your eyes closed and work to get in some almost trance like state. For those who don't know, it is just closing your eyes and trying to focus your mind and heart toward God.

After all this time... it now looks and feels really silly.

I am not boasting, this comes from many painful and wonderful prayers to my Father. I never bother with the trance like thing anymore. I haven't for years. I just talk to Him, out loud or in my head.

He IS right there, and I can't miss.

He always is. He is God, so an attempt to focus on Him is absurd. He is everywhere!

We don't have to aim! For the One who knows what we need BEFORE we ask Him, do you really think He won't hear you if you don't focus and aim correctly?

Simply put, this trance thing is just another "man trying to be God" thing. Yes, it is. For any work or effort, we believe we have to do to "help" God IS arrogant.

Does a toddler have to approach his father with some procedure or ritual?

NO!

The child just goes up to His loving Father and blabbers out what he wants to say. A good Father doesn’t even care if those words make any sense! He just loves His child desiring to chat.

Do you really believe God is any different?

If you do, you do not know the scriptures or the power of God.

So, after I chuckled at the prayer Martha started, I had to explain my quandary with my wife... yes, she was annoyed.

"I'm sorry, I have wondered about this for a while. It has been so long since I prayed like this, I wasn't sure that I could do it anymore... I can't. Can we just ask Him?"

Like He didn't know already!

So, I simply asked my Dad, and Martha agreed... not even out loud.

It's just scandalous!