Hailing the Chief
by Katherine Kehler
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“Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
This week, while going through my files, I came across a wonderful article about prayer. Very moving. I had forgotten about it.
The author portrays God as the Commander and Chief and because of His many responsibilities, He has countless phone calls to make, letters to sign and talks to prepare for. But He is really looking forward to the meetings He has scheduled with people who are very important to him.
The executive assistant opens the door and shows the first person in. The woman, without even acknowledging the Commander and Chief, sits down and recites a memorized prayer:
“Thank you for the world so sweet, thank you for the food we eat, thank you for the birds that sing, thank you sir, for everything. Goodbye.”
Before the Chief could even respond, she got up and left the room.
The next person was a stout man in a business suit. He also ignores the Chief. This man began to pray using long, religious sounding words and then, he too, left the room without acknowledging the Chief.
There were several others - a woman who fell asleep while talking to the Chief, a young man who was terribly disrespectful and an elderly man who recited a long list of prayer requests. All of them ignored the Person they were talking to - they only wanted things from Him.
Then a little boy was ushered into the room. By then, the Chief was very discouraged. He had looked forward to visiting with His guests, but they hadn’t been visits, they were monologues. However the little boy was different. He sat down politely, folded his hands and waited. The Chief asked the boy,
“Isn’t there...something you want to tell me? Something you want to ask me, or say?”
The little boy looked down for a moment, thinking. Then he looked up.
“Yes,” he said. “I guess there is.”
“Well, what is it?’ the Chief asked.
“Thank you for inviting me,” the boy said. “That’s all.”
When the Chief heard that, he couldn’t say anything for a while. All he could do was smile. But then they talked and talked and talked for the longest, most wonderful time.
Our Father in heaven delights to have fellowship with us. Why is it that so often we are like the first guests, just asking for things, and not like the little boy?
Father, thank You for reminding us that You really delight in us. You want us to enjoy You. Help us to be like that little boy. Amen.
TODAY's Thought: Daily Devotional 
