Since my husband has retired we spend almost all of our time together. Good thing we still love each other very much! Honestly, it is what I have been anticipating for many years, our time.
He never was one to do anything in the kitchen except lick the spoons or steal some cookie door off of the sheet right before I popped it into the oven. It made me ponder how my friends had gotten so lucky to have husbands that cooked. Not mine. He is a self proclaimed “eater”. Without eaters the world would not need cooks is his logic. (lol)
Last week I was preparing dinner. A simple beef roast with vegetables in my Rockcrok, a slow cooker. All of a sudden I had a supervisor. “Those potatoes need to be cut in quarters instead of halves.” my husband gingerly stated. Having gotten away with that a minute later he stopped me and said “Whoa, you have enough carrots in there.” Now I was getting a bit irritated. The final straw was when he asked “Do you always use that many herbs and keep the celery leaves on? Maybe that’s too much.”
I don’t tell him how to run things in the yard or take care of the vehicles, because I have no experience. He knows so much more than I do in those areas. Just like I know so much more about cooking than he does.
As soon as that comparison came to my mind, so did something else. How many times have I done the same thing with God? Ouch! Have I really tried to give advice or tell the Creator of the Universe what to do? Well, yes, I guess I have.
There have been times I have taken things to Him in prayer, and instead of asking that His will be done or for His help, I have listed what needed to be done. Have you ever done that? I would pray asking Him to do specific things so that the end result would be what I thought I needed. How ridiculous is that? The child giving instructions to the all knowing Father? Unsolicited advice being given to the One that directs us?
Scripture tells us in Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Abba doesn’t need a work order from me. His way is perfect. He already knows what needs done and what will happen. All I need to do is lift my request to Him. God knows exactly what needs to be done. He is not waiting for my suggestions on how to solve a crisis.
My prayers now take a different tone. I know God knows and does what is best. When I pray I take my concerns to Him, thank Him for being bigger than any issue I have, and leave it with Him. Believe me, it isn’t always easy. Sure I would love to include my suggestions but that would be silly. Jehovah is our powerful God. He isn’t our God that needs help.
Think about this the next time you pray for something. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Ask Him for help not if He needs any.
Abba's Prayer Warrior Princess 