I heard recently about a mother and her five-year-old son who were headed to McDonald's one day when they passed a car accident. Usually when they would see something terrible like that, they would say a prayer for those who might be hurt, so the mother pointed to the cars and said to her son, "We should pray."

From the back seat, she heard his earnest request, "Please, God, don't let those cars block the entrance to McDonald's."

The honesty of children! But how often have we all been childishly guilty of the same thing? We are surrounded by the needs of so many people, but we often seem to be blind to them in our prayers. Instead, our prayers tend to go something along the line of, "God, please give me what is most important to ME right now. Take away all the inconveniences that make life so difficult for me, and make sure that only good things happen to me."

When will we learn that prayer was never intended to be the divine equivalent of a vending machine? Prayer is not an attempt to twist God's arm until he bends Himself to our will, but an opportunity for us to seek His will. We are to share our needs with God, but prayer is also a privilege God has given His children to be able to intercede for others and their needs.

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men."
(I Timothy 2:1)

Who are you praying for today?