Praying With Eyes Wide Open
With legs crossed, staring up the flannelgraph during Children’s Worship, the teacher would ask, “Okay, fold your hands and close your eyes…”
At an early age, we are taught to do just this as we prepare to pray. And to this day, this is exactly what I do as a 40-year-old woman! Closing my eyes shuts out the distractions of the world and folding my hands keeps me from doing something that would take me away from focusing on the very One I am praying to. Any other form of posture felt irreverent.
To this day, that’s what we taught our daughter and in doing so, would peek to make sure she was obeying. But what if all this time, I’ve been teaching her a very limited view of what prayer is and can be?
What if we taught our kids and ourselves that we can pray anywhere and anytime of the day? Yes, we need to pray with reverence and with awe, but what is prayer? A relationship. A way to draw closer to our Creator. To build relationship, we need to spend time with God, not just sitting with our hands folded and eyes closed. What if we prayed more with our eyes open while serving the Lord with our hands, giving every moment to him in service to him?
What if we taught our kids to pray while sitting at their desk at school? While eating their lunch and not just before? While riding their scooter marveling at the beauty of creation? While cleaning the baseboards, thanking God for a home to live in? While taking a shower or drinking a glass of cold clean water?
What if we taught ourselves to pray while washing dishes or putting them in the dishwasher? While playing a game we love? While sitting across from a friend at dinner? While laying next to your husband? While driving to pick up the kids? Or to a job? Or school?
We can pray anytime and anywhere. God just wants us. For us to communicate with him, grow our desire for Him, and spend time with him.
This week, choose to pray not just with eyes closed and folded hands, but during the mundane, the fun, and in the routine. You may be surprised at the peace, calm, gratitude, and reassurance you feel as you do!
