Anyways, I'm sure most of you know the song, "Let My Words Be Few" by Matt Redman. For Melbournians, we know that people like to talk a lot. Not one second of time wasted in silence. We just have to speak at every moment the other people are not speaking at.
Well, in this talkative place, I devoted on one thing that surprised me. I just realized that prayer was about listening. Of course, it's talking too. But more often than not, all of us would spend that five minutes just to talk and talk and talk to God. That's great! I mean, it does boost our relationship with God, right?
Not exactly...
You see, the Word of God said (in Matthew if I'm right) that God knows more than we do already, and prayers shouldn't be long-winded. If you are praying that way, I guess what you are doing is reminding of things God already know.
But if we think of it the other way around, we know so little about God. The knowledge we have about Him is much much much smaller than His. Philip Yancey described prayer as an act to see reality from God's point of view. And I couldn't agree more.
Prayer is a way to look at what we are through God's eyes - in other words, from God's perspective, from how He thinks of us. That's why when we pray, we must get ready for God to tell us what He thinks of us. However, most of the time, we try to connect with God, letting His Spirit fill us, when we are not letting go off what we have. For example, you are thinking that you are faithful because you are praying, while you are praying. And therefore, you think that you are worthy to be filled with God's Spirit, because you are faithful. But that is wrong.
When you are praying, you have to let go off every thought you have - except for the thought of God. You cannot think that you are faithful. That is self-praising, self-judgment. You are telling who you are through your perspectives, not God.
Instead of listening to the voices of your own thoughts, achieve to listen to God's voice.
I was really amazed when I was reading about Moses and Aaron, about how they can hear God's voice when they just come as they are. When the Israelites were in the wilderness, they were thirsty, and so, they complained to Moses, about why God brought them to the wilderness to thirst to death. Moses did not fight against the Israelites. Instead, he went into the Tabernacle with Aaron, and they immediately fall face flat in front of the altar (correct me if I'm wrong). Then the next verse, without Moses speaking, God spoke to them. Ahh! How I wish to hear God's voice that easily!
Praying is like that. You can be silent. Totally silent. Just coming as who you are. Laying down everything. Then, waiting and expecting God to speak to you.
My heart is opened. My ears are wide. But let my words be few.
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