We are a society of people that know what we want – at least in the fast food world.  Here’s a couple of examples:  “I’d like a chicken biscuit, but on a bun.  Add pickles, and no butter on the bun.  Diet coke, light ice.”  Or another: ” Two sausage biscuits, sausage extra done, biscuit dark brown.  And a chicken burrito, minus peppers and onions, and oh yeah, in a bowl – don’t like the wrap”.  “Half sweet tea, half unsweet, splash of lemonade”. In other words, anything and everything is possible, within our menu, and we can cater to most people’s wishes. And most customers are not shy about asking – they are completely comfortable making their requests known, even if we can’t fulfill all of them.

I wish that I would always approach God that way in my prayer life.  There are times that I am free and confident when I pray, but…there are also times that I struggle.  When I have “regular menu” items – prayer requests for the sick, wisdom for an issue in my life, repentance of sin – I do rather well.  And I am usually assured that God is listening and will do His will concerning my petitions.

However, when it comes to “special request” items, I don’t have the same boldness that my customers do.  I believe there are times that God wants to use me in the BIG things, or times that He has laid a BIG idea or dream in my heart, and then I stutter and stammer trying to pray about those!  I mull it over, think of all the reasons that it might be silly, or me and not God, or reasons that He will probably say no.  I believe I do this at times out of fear – fear of what the request will require of me if He says yes!  Or fear of how a “yes” will cause me to move out of a comfort zone, and into the unknown.  Sometimes it’s a lack of faith in my own abilities and talents – like God would certainly choose someone else for that dream.

Whatever the cause, I want to stop.  I want to become more like those that I wait on every day, and step right up to the counter (throne) of grace and my Heavenly Father, and ask!  My prayer is that you would follow and watch Him change our world for His glory!