Parrot Prayers

Today I ran over to the food court on campus in the 30 minute segment between my writing class and a meeting. I walked past Subway's long dinner line and weaved through Panda Express's maze of a line. Mandarin Chicken, baby. I could almost taste it (I hadn't eaten a real breakfast or lunch, and it was 5 PM; college is treating me well!) before I'd ordered. The guy who asked me my order was a noob; he'd never done single entrees or sides. When I got to the cashier, the girl ringing our orders asked me if I wanted my receipt.

(I've been in this silly habit of collecting, recording, and discarding receipts for cash-paid orders, just so I wouldn't forget how much money I'd been spending.)

I said that I would like my receipt, thanked her, pocketed the change, and wished her a good day. Then she willed me to enjoy my meal, and I reciprocated in turn: "You too!" Ah. I quickly noted my error, and she laughed with me at myself. I'd been a bit preoccupied thinking about CCM and John Calvin and how irresponsible with my time I've been, and how dreadfully tired and depressed I'd been lately.

We may get away with parroting our way through life with trite sayings and reciprocated responses & assertions, but how dare we come before God with parroted prayers? Yet often I find myself reciting simple prayers of a 3 year old.

(I'm not at all arguing against creeds or formalized, written prayers. Just sayin', for the record.)

Sort of like singing, praying is serious business. We're God's children and He holds our hands as we walk, but that doesn't mean He doesn't expect maturity in time. And if I'm simply praying or reading our Bibles or even going to church to fulfill our quota of spirituality, the acts become idols, and I become guilty of self-righteousness, much less the guilt of regarding God lightly! Don't trifle with God; He's the boss. He's a loving boss who cleanses our sins.

Pray earnestly, reader, for the salvation in this life which comes from Jesus's resurrection.