The Simplicity of Prayer

Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” 2 Kings 6:17

I love this story of Elisha and his servant. The king of Aram has sent an entire army to take Elisha captive. He is angry because Elisha is thwarting his military plans. Elisha’s servant is fearful as he sees his city being surrounded by this marauding band of Arameans. When he asks Elisha what they are going to do Elisha assures him there are more with them then with their enemy. Comforting words but not enough. Elisha then prays for a specific need his servant has. He simply asks God to open his eyes so he can see the truth of the situation. What the servant then sees changes his entire outlook for he sees the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire! What he could not accept by faith God allowed him to see with his physical eyes.

What strikes me this morning is the simplicity of Elisha’s prayer. Jesus said we must come to Him as a child. So often I have read those words and limited it to salvation. But the same is true as we approach God in prayer. When my children were small and they came to me for something they usually got right to the point. The request was simple as they pinpointed exactly what it was they wanted. As long as it was good for them and within my power to give them what they asked for, I usually did so. Imagine the things they would have missed out on had they never bothered to ask me! James 4:2 reminds me of this truth when God says, “You do not have because you do not ask.”

Elisha did not petition God with a fancy prayer or use a complicated prayer formula. His prayer was a mere eleven words in length but the ramifications were profound. I am not saying we should not persevere in prayer or never use a prayer formula. What I am saying is when we come before God with a request we can feel free to get right to the point. Some of the most profound answers to prayer for me have come from the simplest of prayers.

Father, may I not be intimidated by the thought of prayer. You never meant for it to be complicated or beyond my reach. I like that! Amen.