Cause and Effect

Have you ever noticed that generally speaking, those who should know; don’t? I was reminded of this caveat recently on the subject of prayer. Attend any evangelical worship where public prayers are offered extemporaneously and listen to the words. Most folks could not voice a prayer if the phrase “Thank You” was removed from their vocabulary.

I participated in the babysitting chores with the grandchildren this past week. Business took our son out of the country and with three small children our daughter-in-law needed a little help. It was a good reminder that our children need to be taught not to be selfish. It is definitely a dominant trait in the nature of Adam. Selfishness is the first characteristic of Satan. It was selfishness that led the angel of light to seek the glory that was God’s alone. It is selfishness that causes my four year old grandson to attempt to hold many more train cars than he can ever possibly control, and then become excited when one of his sisters touches another one. Selfishness, it is the worship of self; me first, everything else after that.

Take a brief inventory of the daily little difficulties we confront every day and consider how many of them are caused by selfishness. Drivers running red lights are caused by selfishness. That driver feels he has more of a right to be in that intersection than you do and asserts his feeling by forcing you to wait on him. Speeding is another example. You are expected to obey the laws regulating speed but he is in a hurry. His need is greater than yours. Make a list and consider how many items are fundamentally motivated by selfishness. The list is long and varied and can run from theft on one end to talking when we should be listening on the other. We must learn not to be selfish.

Study the prayers recorded in the Scriptures and you will quickly realize that our prayer is an element in our worship of God the Father. Prayer is the effect, worship the cause. In the same manner as a selfish nature (the cause) is revealed in running a red light (the effect), peace, harmony, comfort, and abundant blessings (effects) are ours by our personal worship (cause) in our prayers. Close personal conversation and fellowship with God is the effect, worship is the cause. You see, prayer is about God before it is about us.