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Bible Reading Plan

Reading Plan: Micah 6:6-8

With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

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Daily Devotional: Not Fancy, Just Dad

And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:5-6  

Growing up Catholic, we either prayed a recited prayer or talked to God in our heads only. For example, said with great speed just before a meal,  “Bless us, oh Lord, with these, thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord. Amen.” 

My Uncle Ed was a Baptist, though, and before meals, he thanked God for the people around the table and talked about fellowship. I loved my Uncle’s prayer. Once I started attending Willow, I grew in praying out loud for people and talking to God at meal times. I started my own tagline for the end of a meal-prayer that my sons and son-in-law have picked up: “Bring us closer together and closer to you.”

I once prayed for a colleague, and she stared at me afterwards. I made a face and said, “Was that too weird?” She shook her head, “No, you just talked to God like you knew Him. It wasn’t fancy.” She had no idea the depth of the compliment she gave me.

This passage doesn’t mean never pray out loud. One way we can be the hands and feet of Jesus is to pray for people and let them hear our words. As we lift them up to God, they can hear our concern and lean into our faith. This passage means when you are talking to God, talk to God. When you talk to a friend or relative, you don’t write out perfect conversations and read off cue cards. You simply say what’s on your mind. As always, with Jesus, it’s all about the heart attitude. When we praise Him, thank Him, and petition Him, it needs to be real and not to impress someone else.

More commonly, I hear people worry their prayer is too unpolished and are embarrassed to pray out loud. Take a deep breath and talk to your heavenly Dad. He already knows how you sound, so don’t try to sound like someone fancy. He already loves your voice, your thoughts, and your heart.

Next Steps

This song is visceral, not fancy, from the gut instead. I’ve used it to guide me when my granddaughter was very sick (healed now) and in praying for our country. Talk to God and let people see the gentle, loving relationship you have with your heavenly Dad. Not fancy, just real.