Like a Weaned Child

"Sometimes I get overwhelmed," I confessed to Rebeca, "because of all the needs." 

When people need clean water, they come to us. 

When people need help sending their kids to school, they come to us.

When people need medicine or a surgery or medical help, they come to us.

When people need milk for their babies, they come to us.

When people run out of food, they come to us. 

I can't even leave the house without someone asking for something - the bike I'm riding, the backpack I'm carrying. Random people that pass me ask me immediately for money. Kids ask for candy and cookies. When I go out for a run, people yell at me and ask for my shoes. 

The needs are overwhelming. And the demands are exhausting. 

Especially when what I really want them to ask for is Jesus. 

It literally wears me out and makes me tired. It makes me feel unable to do anything for anyone because the demands are too high. 

But it also makes me want to change the way I pray. I wonder how God feels when all we do is ask, ask, ask. Do we weary him with out constant asking? 

Now I know God is not like me. He doesn't get exhausted or tired of our requests. He knows that we need him, and I believe he delights in meeting our needs as a father loves giving good gifts to his children. He also has unlimited resources and the power to meet every demand asked of him, which is of great comfort to me as I face the many needs I encounter daily. It's not on my shoulders; it's on his, and he can take care of it all. It's in his hands, not mine, and my hands are held by his. 

But sometimes I wonder how much it would mean to him if we came into his presence and didn't ask for anything. Just came to worship. Just to thank him. Just to be with him. Just to say, "I don't need anything right now except you." Would that not absolutely delight his heart?

With our many requests, I sometimes think we don't realize what we are asking for. We want money or better health or a different job or running shoes when what he really wants us to ask for is more of Jesus in our circumstances. What he really wants to give us with each prayer request presented is more of Jesus. 

Psalm 131:2 compares our souls to a "weaned child" that comes to his mother. A weaned child doesn't come for milk. He comes without demands. He comes just to be held and to love his mother. 

It makes me want to come to Jesus just to be with him and not ask for anything. Among a chorus of prayers that are filled with requests that he can handle and needs that he can meet, may he hear our still, quiet voices that say, "I'm here to say thank you. I'm here to worship. I don't need anything right now. I just want to love you."