My prayers of gratitude and praise should be as frequent , intense and lengthy as my prayers of need and request.

• Short prayers:
  • Thank you
  • Help
  • I will
  • I’m sorry
  • I won’t
  • I love you
  • Forgive me
  • Use me
  • Protect me

Dear God, don’t let my lack of understanding about you lead to an absence of faith in you, a reduction of love for you, an unwillingness to obey you, hesitancy to share you, and fear to praise you.

* * * * * * * * * 

When Samuel said “Speak, for your servant hears” he was not referring only to physical hearing, but also to a willingness to obey whatever he might hear. Too often my reaction is “Speak, and your servant will consider hearing.” But when that is my attitude I’m really not being a servant, am I?