“Let’s talk business,” said my 13-year-old son as he parked himself at the kitchen table with me to have a snack prior to his baseball game.
“Yes, let’s,” I said, just happy that he was sitting down to talk to me but having no idea where he was headed. “What business do you want to talk about,” I asked.
“I don’t think I need to go to these last two days of school,” he said.
Oh, I see what we’re doing now. Lobbying. Okay, I’ll play along. This is much better than trying to coerce him into talking to me and telling me how he is doing or feeling.
“Make your case,” I said.
He launched into a well-crafted list of reasons why it made more sense, would be both physically and academically in his best interest, and, most importantly, he would be here to check on me, “two maybe three times.”
I had to give him credit for the effort, but I told him he would have to make the same case with his father later that night. Ultimately, we sent him on to school. Even though no one would be here to check on me two, maybe three times, we decided it was worth the risk. He handled it well and went on to school.
I have been replaying that conversation in my head since – not for reasons you may think.
First, I loved his approach. It just makes me hopeful that one day when it matters, he will approach other issues in a similar fashion. I am hopeful that he will be as thoughtful and articulate about other concerns in the future.
Second, I cannot shake the parallels of that conversation and how we approach God. I often find myself talking to God in a similar way. I go to Him in prayer sometimes with a “Let’s talk business. Here’s what I want and why I want it,” type of approach. I don’t really mean to, but I think that’s often what happens. It’s like, “Lord I’ve taken the liberty to think and reason this out for you, and I’d like to go ahead and place my order.”
I imagine God responding to me much like I responded to my son. “Oh, hey. Yes, let’s talk. I’m so happy you want to spend time with me and talk to me. I will happily hear you out and allow you to make the case. However, I have something better for you in mind.”
When I was listening to my child, I knew the difference between what he wanted and what he needed. I also knew where he would fall short on his promises to me. Our conversations with God are quite similar. He knows what we need and where we will fall short.
Matthew six tells us how to pray. I find verses seven and eight especially enlightening.
“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (NIV)
I love that He already knows what we need. It’s comforting to know that not only does He already know what we need, but He is already working it out for our good. I think of Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Continue in Romans 8 to verse 31 and we read that if God is for us then who can be against us. As a parent, having those sorts of conversations with my child helps me to understand that relationship with my Heavenly Father. I’m not going to withhold good things from my children that they need. I’m watching out for them and meeting needs in ways they can’t conceive.
Psalm 84:11 (NIV) says, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”
That doesn’t mean those who don’t sin. We all fall short. Like my child would have not held up on his promises to me, we don’t hold up on all our promises to God, but he knows our hearts and motivation. He doesn’t withhold good things. He is our light, our life source, our protection.
Even when He denies our request to skip out on something we want out of, we can take comfort in knowing that He is providing and protecting us. And He loves that we choose to talk to Him. Romans 12:12 tells us to be faithful in prayer. He wants us to consistently, regularly, faithfully communicate with Him.
Friends, take some time to sit down and talk business with your Heavenly Father today. The key isn’t what you’re talking about but rather who you are talking to.
Photo credit: Tara Winstead on Pexels
