Lord, please respond at MY earliest convenience.
Meg was outside a local store holding this sign
© 2015 by Karen Friday
Ah, convenience. The love and want of things easily obtainable.
Inconvenience is bothersome. Such as running errands on my to-do list—with many stops to make—while I’m out and about. When I can obtain the majority of my needs at the same location, it’s handy-dandy!
A Fitting Story (Scene 1): I stop at a local convenience store for car fuel. Hungry or thirsty (or both), I mosey inside for a snack and drink. Oh, while I’m here, if I pick up bread and milk, I won’t have to stop at the grocery store. It will cost more money but less time for me (I rationalize).
On a side note, I had to relinquish going inside the local BP gas station. A habit was getting the best of me—Snickers ice-cream bars.
The comfort of convenience. “Mrs. Friday, please contact me at your earliest convenience.” How nice! They care about my convenience.
Our society is a convenient place: stores, fast-food, walk-in medical clinics, a “no-waiting” business, and even relationships. But all come with a visible or hidden price.
Convenience provides a limited selection at a higher cost. While the price we pay for convenience can be in dollar amounts, there are other costs: poor choices, shallow relationships, and a numbing to the glittery aspirations in life. The dreams requiring hard work and many stops.
To our dismay, there are items the drive-through-window-of-life does not offer. Life is often inconvenient with tiring and uncomfortable stops along the way.
A convenience mentality can creep into our spiritual lives. A Fitting Story (Scene 2): Recently, I lost a part-time job. I asked friends and family to pray specifically for the Lord to clearly open doors of opportunity and close doors not fitting for me—”and lock them, Lord!” (I added the lock request to my prayer. I struggle with indecision.)
Please don’t hear me saying this is a deplorable prayer. The question to myself: “Are my prayers asking for convenience?” Little prayer, easy to no effort on my part, comfortable decisions, and everything I need in one stop. How convenient … for me!
A one-stop convenience store prayer.
A Fitting Story (Scene 3): I go to the Lord for spiritual fuel. I mosey into prayer because I am spiritually hungry and thirsty but with a hankering for only a snack. “Oh, while I am here Lord, please do this quick thing for me and respond at my earliest convenience so I don’t have to make another stop on my way.”
Could it be the Lord wants me to seek His Godly wisdom that is fitting? To pray more and to pray hard. Do I walk through the first open door or the second? What if there aren’t any open doors? Making the necessary stops to find insight available through His Word and to pray for His will—continually and with long-suffering.
Fervent, heart-felt prayer does a work in us. Bringing me and you to a place of intimate relationship through conversation with The Lord of all. Access into God’s presence paid by His Son’s blood. Powerful prayer that is multi-faceted. The selection is robust and varied: praise, adoration, supplication, intercession, thanksgiving, and so much more!
For the prayer warrior, the ROI (return on investment) is immeasurable. Producing in us spiritual fruit, character, reward, wisdom, eternal harvest, and intimacy with our God. “The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.” James 5:16 TLB
A Fitting Story (Final Scene): There is nothing inconvenient about entering the throne room of the Holy of Holies. “What a privilege to carry … everything to God in prayer.” (Hymn, What a Friend We have in Jesus.)
A great picture of life today! Thanks for encouraging us to mosey into prayer!