Keep It Simple

While the children of Israel were wandering between Egypt and the Promised Land God instructed Moses how to worship him. "And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it" (Exodus 20:25).

This seems like a strange set of plans for building an altar to God, doesn't it? We have the idea today that when we build for God we must use the best prepared and the most expensive materials. Here God tells Moses to use rough stones because to polish them would spoil them.

This can only mean that worship is to be made simple. God frowns upon artificiality in word or deed. The best prayers are the simple prayers. A prayer with a lot of long words in it is no better than a prayer spoken in short, simple words. In fact, the fancy prayer is not so acceptable to God as the simple prayer.

When a person says, "My prayer was answered right away," he most likely offered a short hurried prayer for help. Such a prayer is made in an emergency when there isn't a lot of time for pretty phrases.

So, don't ever say, "I don't know how to pray." You do know how to pray. God respects words or thoughts straight from the heart. God knows all languages; therefore he is not impressed with our gift of speech. And, anyhow, he knows what we are going to ask for even before we ask him.

You have God's own word for it: Keep it simple. Prayer comes from the heart and it is uttered by the tongue.

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable to you, my God and my help.