I was thinking about what would I say if I got to meet the President of the US. Would I immediately say, “I need a new job; that family needs marital counseling; the potholes needs to be fixed, etc.”? No, more likely I wouldn’t say anything, but just be in silent respect being in the presence of such an important person. But isn’t that how we approach prayer with God? We treat him more as a personal genie than God. “I need this, he needs that, bless me, heal her, comfort me, fix that, console me, etc.” Then after we have rubbed the lantern and asked for what we want, we put the lantern away and then don’t think about God until the next time we need something else. We would treat the President with great respect. Should we not treat God, whom the President himself bows his knees to, with even greater respect?
“Lord God, I confess that many times I treat you like a personal genie. Continue to teach me who you really are. That you are the President of Presidents. That you are the one in charge, not me. That it should be I obeying you, rather than me asking you to obey me. May your name be honored and may your kingdom come, not mine. Amen.”