![\"Steering](\"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Steering-Wheel-or-Spare-Tire.jpg\")
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Is God our spare tire? Do we only pray when we have an emergency? The phrase \u201cGod should be our steering wheel, not our spare tire\u201d rings true. We should consider God a necessary part of our daily journey. Not AAA!<\/p>\n
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Is God our \u201cwhen all else fails\u201d guy? Perhaps we are at the end of our rope. We have tried everything else and the only recourse we have left is to pray? God needs to be kept in our loop, updated on how we feel about what\u2019s going on in our lives. We can\u2019t wait until we want to throw up our hands and quit, then say, \u201cOh wait! When all else fails let\u2019s try prayer.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do we see God only in church? Some never pray until they are in church\u2026and they only go to church on Easter and Christmas. That\u2019s a long time between prayers. So basically they are just keeping in touch, not building a relationship.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Is God our genie in the magic lamp? If we rub him the right way \u2013 poof \u2013 our wish comes true.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Is God the mountain top guru of understanding? Do we think God understands that we don\u2019t have time to pray? Well, actually, God understands that we don\u2019t take the time to pray. There is s distinct difference.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Is God the lucky gambler? We pray spasmodically and God rolls the dice. If the dice tally up to three or a seven we win and God gives us what we want \u2013 too bad for us if we get boxcars. Do we think life is a crap shoot?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Is God the \u201cI\u2019m Okay, You\u2019re Okay\u201d guy? In other words, God knows we are basically good. We don\u2019t cheat, steal, lie, or commit adultery so why pray? So just think positive thoughts and everything will be okay.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I remember one time my husband was bringing a group of kids to our house for a youth activity. It was getting late and I was getting worried. I prayed, \u201cOh Lord, just bring him home safe and sound, and I won\u2019t be upset that he didn\u2019t call.\u201d The minute he walked in the door I lost it and said, \u201cWhy didn\u2019t you call? I\u2019ve been worried sick.\u201d So much for making bargains! God did his part, though. My husband and all the kids were safe and sound.<\/p>\n These approaches will not enhance our prayer life. In fact, they won\u2019t even give us much of a prayer life. To build a relationship with God we must talk with him lots. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) Prayer helps God know us and it helps us know God. And as we get to know God we realize he\u2019s not our spare tire, genie in a lamp, big sugar daddy in the sky, lucky gambler, bargain hunter or guru.<\/p>\n So how should we approach prayer? We come to God as we would our dearest friend. Not because God has the power to give us everything we want, but because he loves us, cares for us, and wants only the best for us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Many of us want God to answer our prayers but we don\u2019t want to take the time to build a relationship with him. Do any of the following approaches sound familiar? Is God our spare tire? Do we only … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Is God our big sugar daddy or Santa Claus in the sky? Do we think God is ready and willing to give us everything we ask for and everything we want? \u201cOh, Lord, won\u2019t you buy me a Mercedes Benz.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Is God our \u201clet\u2019s make a deal\u201d guy? Do we bargain with God saying, \u201cIf you do this for me, I\u2019ll do that for you?\u201d That won\u2019t work, because although we humans may have good intentions we are incapable of keeping our end of the bargain. We are always making promises we don\u2019t seem to be able to keep.<\/p>\n