A Word In Edgeways
by Roger Pook
We all know those people who think that having a conversation means: ‘I talk, you listen’. In vain we wait for an opportunity to get a word in edgeways, as they go through every detail of their life, with much repetition. Time passes, we get weary, and our patience is strained…
But when we pray, are we guilty of this too? We are often tempted to think that the longer our prayers, the holier we are and the more likely we are to be heard. According to Jesus, this ‘vain repetition’ is a pagan practice: ‘When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words, as the pagans do, who think that their gods will hear them because their prayers are long’ (Matthew 6:7).
Prayer is amazing. It’s a conversation with the living God! So, here is a revolutionary thought for us to consider: In this conversation, what God wants to say to us is much more important than what we want to say to Him.
So maybe, like Samuel, we should spend more time listening.
Prayer: Dear Father, here I am.
Roger Pook For 21 years Roger Pook and his wife Christine served in Central and Eastern Europe, based in Hungary at the Úr Rétje centre of Ellel Ministries. From there they travelled and ministered across the length and breadth of the former communist world. In 2018 Roger retired as Regional Director and they now live back in the UK, where Roger still serves on the Executive Leadership and as a trustee of The Christian Trust. They still travel for the Kingdom!
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