Midweek Meditation: "Prayer of Petition"

As Christmas approaches, we see lots of images of Santa Claus and the crazy shopping rush everywhere. Here is a prayer to remind us that when we pray, we remind ourselves that prayer is more than asking for things. It is also asking for God to help us know what to ask for.

"Dear Father, I don't want to treat you like Santa Claus, but I do need to ask things of you. Give me, please, food to eat today.
I'm not asking for tomorrow, but I am asking for today.....
And in my ignorance if I have asked for things that would really be destructive,
please, do not give them to me - do not lead me into temptation.
Do protect me from the evil one. . Amen."
(Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, San Francisco, CA: Harper Collins, 1992, p190)

conrade