On occasion, we will take our children out for dinner and their all time favorite meal to get is found in a little cardboard box. You guessed it…the happy meal. The joy that comes from those little boxes is incredible! I personally think more adults should get these meals…the magical smile that comes with it is priceless!
There are times, when our children hear the news that they are getting kid’s meals, that they follow the news up with a simple question: Does that come with a toy? Of course the answer is yes, that is what happy meals are known for. My children just want to be sure they are not missing out on one of the most important components of that meal.
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Paul commands us as believers to first of all have a prayer life. Prayer is an important part of the believers life. It is how we talk with the Lord.
What should our prayers look like?
Paul would continue to say that we ought to bring our cares to the Lord and not harbor them to ourselves. The things in life that bring us anxiousness, worry, grief, burden or care, we need to take those to the Lord.
Paul would also say that we need to bring our supplication to the Lord. This is when we are looking for an answer to a request or seeking the Lord to provide something in our lives.
I do not think that we lack so much in these two areas. We are good at running to the Lord when we have cares. When something major happens in our life, we do not have a problem running to the Lord because we know He has the answers. We are also good at going to the Lord to ask Him for the things we need Him to provide!
But have you stopped to think about the last part of your prayer life? Paul says that we ought to add thanksgiving to our prayers. Every time you go to the Lord, you need to be thanking Him for something. This is easier said than done.
We can easily run a well worn path to the Lord on our knees with our cares and needs. But does our prayer come with thanksgiving?
I challenge you to listen to yourself the next time you go to the Lord to see how many times you thank Him. I would also encourage you to show thankfulness in your prayer before you bring your cares and needs to Him. This may change the way you view your cares or your needs in the presence of the Savior.
As you gather around the table with family and friends this Thanksgiving holiday, I want you to ask yourself this question: Does your prayer life come with thanksgiving? Or are you missing one of the most important components to your prayers?
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