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How could this Cat prayer be changed to focus on God's glory?
"Lord, you've told me to tell you the desires of my heart, so I'm here to ask for your favor on our football team. We haven't had a winning season in recent history and this is my last year at this school. God can't we have a winning season just once?! I mean, I don't want to look like a fool on the field or in front of my classmates - we practice just like all the other teams, but we don't seem to get anywhere. Lord, there's still the rest of this summer to move some other families into our town - maybe that would be a good way for you to bring in some new talent - some new blood that would help us excel...
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Here's what we think:
Dog Prayer: Lord, you've told me to tell you about the things that really bother me and I'm a bit ashamed of what it is. The football team you allowed me to play on doesn't have much of a reputation, but Lord, as much as I want to be a warrior on the field - I realize that I'm not much of a warrior in spirit either. If you want to use this season to teach us something about humility, then teach us and make us able learners. If you want to us it to teach us how to handle victory with a spirit of humbleness, then do that. Either way, just use this team, this season, this coach, our school -- and even me to draw us more and more dependent upon you. The season will quickly come and then it will quickly go - but our relationship with you will be eternal. Just help us all to use the gifts and abilities you've given us to our utmost that we may honor you with all we have and all we do.
Our Analysis
The first prayer is obviously concerned with how the pray-er is seen by others... how they feel, and what their reputation will be like. To some degree the prayer is also being used to make suggestions to God as to how He can make things work -- as though the creator of the universe needs a little guidance! The second prayer is focused on learning character - godly character. The second prayer understands that the prayer can be used for that which is eternal, rather than selfish and fleeting. The second prayer begins to show understanding that God may work either way, but they can benefit from whichever God decides to do... and it leaves that decision up to God.
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