As I stood in the shower this morning (yes, still with a backwards shower curtain!), I had no less than five small-to-medium-sized interruptions barge into my bathroom to tell or ask me some vitally important bit of information.
Kia, age 6, who had been tasked with cleaning crayon drawings off his bedroom wall came in first, third and fifth – all with the same report. “I can’t get the crayon off, Mom! I tried really hard but I can’t.”
Anabella, age 9, needed help and direction with her spelling homework.
Florencia, age 11, announced she had completed her chores.
Lillia, age 11, wanted to show me her latest drawing.
Finally, Olesya, age 12, offered me one of the coffee cake muffins she had made for breakfast.
Meanwhile, as the parade of individuals tromped through my bathroom, I stood in the shower trying to plan my day, pray, and stay fairly covered. With each visitor, I found myself becoming more and more frustrated. Finally after Olesya’s visit, I ordered everyone out, and informed them they could wait for ten minutes until I was done.
Enjoying the eventual peace and quiet, and chance to be alone, I began to think about God. And His character. And prayer. And His invitation to us.
And then I began to think about me, and how I approach God. And I realized it may not be all that different than my children who came tromping through the bathroom.
Sometimes I come wanting to complain about situations, looking for God to intervene and provide a quick fix for a problem I myself have created or caused, just like Kia and his crayon drawings on the wall. Other times, like Anabella, I come looking for help and guidance when I’m stuck, confused or lost.
There are times I come to God with a detailed description of all that I’ve “accomplished” for Him, His church, or in His name – looking for a pat on the back or a “thank you”, just like Florencia and her chores. Similarly, I come, as Lillia did simply to lay my work before Him. And indeed I also bring an offering to God of my talents and time, just as Olesya offered me her homemade muffins.
I’m quite sure, had I not become frustrated at the constant chatter outside my shower curtain, I would have heard additional reports, questions, complaints and requests from the lips of my other children that would have given me additional insight into how else my prayers might sound to God.
What type of prayers do you offer to God? Do you tend to sound like one or two of my children did today? How can you focus on expanding your prayers to fully include:
- Adoration (I didn’t hear any adoration today….although two days ago I was called a “genius” while showering!),
- Confession (I tend to hear others “confessing” the sins of their siblings…I call that gossip!),
- Thanksgiving (So much to be thankful for….even when my quiet shower time is interrupted!), and
- Supplication (I think we all tend to be pretty good at this one!).
Don’t miss tomorrow’s post, “Getting to Know God behind the Shower Curtain,” which will include the second half of my early morning shower reflections.
