Growing up, I did not know very much about the financial situation of my parents. Actually, that's a bit of an understatement. Everything I knew can be summed up by what they told me about money: 'We don't have any.'
Clearly this wasn't true. They weren't keeping things from me, but whether it was Christmas-time or vacation time, expectations were balanced with the idea that we had enough for what was needed, but maybe not everything that was wanted.
If you're getting the idea that I went to school in cereal box shoes or that meals consisted of small bowls of porridge, you've gone a bit too far. I had everthing (and more) that I ever needed. Plus, as a teenager, my Mom was always magically able to make a $20 bill appear when I asked for some cash...although I still don't know if my Dad was aware of my Mom's ability. But I became quite confident that if I asked Mom, she would be like an ATM machine.
Fast forward almost 20 years and I am wondering how much my own children should know about what I make (or don't). The need to teach something became clear when my oldest daughter, now 9, asked if my mortgage payment was $100. Yeah, something like that, I told her.
When asked to dream big, she wants $100. That would pay for an American Girl doll (barely), but it also seems to be the magically realistic number of big amounts she could hope for. While she hasn't yet asked for money to simply go shopping, I am sensing her confidence in my ability to provide everything might be misplaced.
Last week I mentioned Pharaoh and discussed the idea of prayer and how we approach God. I said that patience was necessary, but I don't think it's the only thing that's needed. Now I don't know what Pharaoh's kids would have asked him for, but if the Disney cartoon The Prince of Egypt is any clue, I can guess. I imagine some of the following made the list: Israelite-made bricks, less plagues, more vertical stripes in their clothing and swimming lessons. And since they were royalty, I can bet they asked with confidence.
How does this connect to prayer you ask? I'm glad you asked.
Prayer is sometimes approached like a blank check we can write and know that God will cash. I have heard preachers and other Christians talk about how we should name it and claim it. Others seem to indicate that you might not have any faith at all if you don't give God step-by-step directions as to how to answer your very specific prayers.
I'm not so sure about that, but what would it look like for us to approach God with greater confidence? Having confidence is certainly something that would help in this area of prayer. Clearly we should have confidence when we talk with God. After all, He loves us and wants to give us good things (Matthew 7:11). Jesus told us we would do greater things (John 14:12). In James we read that those who doubt what they ask God for will become seasick (James 1:5-7).
Among these other scriptures that speak about confidence, I found the writer of Hebrews talking about having confidence in our walk with God. Confidence can lead to many great outcomes.
Clearly this wasn't true. They weren't keeping things from me, but whether it was Christmas-time or vacation time, expectations were balanced with the idea that we had enough for what was needed, but maybe not everything that was wanted.
If you're getting the idea that I went to school in cereal box shoes or that meals consisted of small bowls of porridge, you've gone a bit too far. I had everthing (and more) that I ever needed. Plus, as a teenager, my Mom was always magically able to make a $20 bill appear when I asked for some cash...although I still don't know if my Dad was aware of my Mom's ability. But I became quite confident that if I asked Mom, she would be like an ATM machine.
Fast forward almost 20 years and I am wondering how much my own children should know about what I make (or don't). The need to teach something became clear when my oldest daughter, now 9, asked if my mortgage payment was $100. Yeah, something like that, I told her.
When asked to dream big, she wants $100. That would pay for an American Girl doll (barely), but it also seems to be the magically realistic number of big amounts she could hope for. While she hasn't yet asked for money to simply go shopping, I am sensing her confidence in my ability to provide everything might be misplaced.
Last week I mentioned Pharaoh and discussed the idea of prayer and how we approach God. I said that patience was necessary, but I don't think it's the only thing that's needed. Now I don't know what Pharaoh's kids would have asked him for, but if the Disney cartoon The Prince of Egypt is any clue, I can guess. I imagine some of the following made the list: Israelite-made bricks, less plagues, more vertical stripes in their clothing and swimming lessons. And since they were royalty, I can bet they asked with confidence.
How does this connect to prayer you ask? I'm glad you asked.
Prayer is sometimes approached like a blank check we can write and know that God will cash. I have heard preachers and other Christians talk about how we should name it and claim it. Others seem to indicate that you might not have any faith at all if you don't give God step-by-step directions as to how to answer your very specific prayers.
I'm not so sure about that, but what would it look like for us to approach God with greater confidence? Having confidence is certainly something that would help in this area of prayer. Clearly we should have confidence when we talk with God. After all, He loves us and wants to give us good things (Matthew 7:11). Jesus told us we would do greater things (John 14:12). In James we read that those who doubt what they ask God for will become seasick (James 1:5-7).
Among these other scriptures that speak about confidence, I found the writer of Hebrews talking about having confidence in our walk with God. Confidence can lead to many great outcomes.
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. (Hebrews 10:35)
So go ahead, pray with confidence. Maybe you should even ask for $100.
Comments