Prayer – In one billion, three hundred forty nine million, six hundred seventy eight thousand, four hundred and eighty-twelve lessons.

Lesson 3

So, I’ve said that I think prayer is essentially asking for stuff. Fortunately, I’m very good at asking for stuff. If you are reading this, please send me money. See? I told you I was good at it.

“May your name be revered and honored” is a kind of strange thing to ask. I talked to my bank this week. I asked about some services they offer. I asked what those services would cost me. I asked what paperwork was needed to apply for those services. Funny thing is, I never asked, “How could we set up this account so the bank gets a great reputation and makes a huge profit?” I was afraid he would tell me.

I have a theory that if I eat something that is better than an alternative I am eating healthy. So ice cream that’s sugar free is basically health food. In fact, it’s so healthy that it’s almost like taking a vitamin. Last night on the way home from work, I stopped at the grocery to buy ice cream. I considered what flavor I wanted. I considered what price was best. I considered which variety was sugar free so I could get my vitamins. I even considered what flavor my wife might enjoy. I did not ask the grocery manager “which ice cream should I buy in order to benefit the store and enhance its stature?”

So, this morning, I decided to try it. I stopped at a gas station. I went in and asked the clerk “would it be better for you if I bought a Diet Coke or a Diet Pepsi?" (I needed some health food in my breakfast). The clerk needed to have her hearing checked. “Pardon?” she replied. I repeated my request. “Come again?” I said it again. Then her brain stopped. “I don’t understand.” I said it very slowly, because we all know that saying the incoherent slowly and loudly makes it completely understandable. “Woooooouuuld iiiit beee betteeeerrrrrr foooorrrr yyyoooouuuuu….” At that point she looked past me to help the next customer. For some reason they both looked at me like I was a lunatic. Immediately after she helped him she had to tend to something in the back room. I assume she must have gotten a call or something.

The point is… it’s a strange request to make. You can ask all powerful God for whatever you want. (Cars, houses, and chocolate all come to my mind quickly.) So you ask for His reputation to be advanced. Maybe it’s just me, but it kinda seems logical if God wanted his reputation advanced, he could do it, with or without me asking him.

In fact, now that I think about it, while I didn't ask my banker how the account change could benefit the bank, but I’m pretty sure he was thinking about it without me asking.