Important Enough to Pray About

During a women’s meeting at church, a friend who volunteers in the children’s ministry started talking about my three-year-old daughter. She said she loves when my little one prays — which she always wants to do, every time they ask for a volunteer.

My friend went on to talk about everything my daughter prays for (the list is long!), including her puppy. That made me laugh. We don’t have a puppy. But according to my friend, my daughter prays for her puppy every week.

See, she has this little white poodle…purse. Its name is Poodums. Poodums has been in our family for a few years now, and recently got passed down to her from big sister. She loves Poodums very much and thanks Jesus for him daily.

Awhile back, I was sitting at lunch, listening to her pray for Poodums again, asking Jesus to make him better from his imaginary sickness, then thanking Jesus for him, when I wondered if I should put an end to this Poodum praying. I mean, is it okay to allow her to pray for her stuffed animal? Does God care? Should I be teaching her reverence in prayer? Should I be teaching her what’s important to pray for…and what isn’t?

And then I realized, who am I to say what is important enough to pray for and what isn’t?

This little poodle purse is hardly important enough to pray over in my eyes, but it’s big to her. How many things that I pray for are the same?

With the famines, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, draughts, social injustice, crime, and tragedies in the world, how do I think the insignificant and trivial details of my everyday life are things to take before Father God? What right do I have to pray for patience with my children, for a joyful, cheerful day for my husband, for help taming my own tongue?

And yet, I believe with all my heart that our God is a God who cares about the details. He wants us to talk to him about the “small things” in our life. He wants us to share our little battles with him, our cares, our concerns. He tells us in John to abide with Him. The definition of abide is to stay or live somewhere, to remain or continue (according to the dictionary!). And we’re supposed to abide in Him. We’re supposed to share life with Him. And in Song of Solomon 4, it says He’s captivated by one glance of our eyes – even just a little glance captures His attention. It’s these moment-sharing details that grow our relationship with Him, because somehow, someway, the King of the universe cares about our small, “unimportant” things.

Last night, as my husband put the girls to bed, I heard him tell each one he loved them, and then, at the end, he said “Love you, Poodums.”

I promise you, he has no affection for this small poodle purse, other than he loves the one who loves it. The fact that that sweet, sleepy-eyed little girl who he loves more than life itself, loves Poodums, is enough to make him care about it, too.

So friend, no matter what you’re facing today, no matter how small or trivial it may seem, don’t be afraid to take it to the Lord in prayer. He loves you – literally more than life itself. And He cares about what you care about. So if it’s important to you, take it to the LORD in prayer. In that abiding, He will meet you where you are, speak to that topic you’re bringing before Him, and build relationship. He is good, He is trustworthy, and He wants to share the small, “unimportant” things with you day in and day out because He loves you.

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