New, Fresh Cookies

My 8-year-old son, Sam, was praying the same old prayer again.  He had just brushed his teeth and emptied his bladder and we were in bed saying prayers.  “Dear God, thank you for the wonderful, wonderful day we had today and let us have a wonderful, wonderful day tomorrow.  Thank you for all the wonderful things you made for us…. ”

Now I love that he prays.  And I love that he thanks God for “wonderful” things.  But it was obvious that his heart wasn’t in it.

I stopped him and said, “Sam… why not pray about the things that happened today or the friends that need prayer for sickness or sadness?  Why not ask God to help you with things that you need to work on?  Maybe “dig” a bit deeper.  Make your time with God count!”

He looked at me and said the most profound thing. “Mom, it’s like eating new, fresh cookies.”

I waited trying to see where this possible rabbit trail was going.  He talked about how if you eat the same cookies over and over again, they get old and boring and you just eat them because you’re used to them.  “But,” he said, “We should eat new and fresh cookies every day.”  I sat there staring at him… because he… just… got… it!

“That’s like prayer!  We should say new and fresh prayers to God so they don’t become just something we say and get bored.”  Wow… did that really just come out of my 2nd (sooner to be 3rd) graders mouth?

I’m soooooo guilty of that.

I find myself saying the same prayers over and over and over again to God.  They are almost automatic.  They can be said with little passion or emotion.  They can be said without much thought behind them.  They can be… “stale.”

Ouch.  You mean, I’ve been given the privilege to speak directly to the creator of the universe… and I often speak “stale” words to Him.

It made me think.  If I had the chance to speak with Beth Moore… my words would not be stale and I would have great excitement!  If I got to meet Billy Graham… I would speak with enthusiasm!  If I was able to talk to Patrick Dempsey, I would show a lot of emotion.  🙂

So why do I give MY GOD – who has pulled me from the pit… who has redeemed a broken and nasty life/person… who has given me a new hope – “stale” cookies?

I wonder if you can relate?

Starting today, I am going to try to give God new and fresh cookies everyday.  Great advice… from the mouth of my wiser-than-his-years son, Sam.  Thanks, buddy.