Sometimes when people pray, I just shake my head. Here are the three phrases that cause me the most grief. You've been warned...
1. We just pray...
This is correctly used if you "just" pray about one issue. If you are going to use the word "just," then don't rattle off 45 requests.For example, to say "we just pray about x, and we just pray about y, and we just pray about z" is misleading and infuriating! I think the Bible also teaches us that God gets confused when you pray like that.
2. Give us traveling mercies...
Christians love to create Christianese. This is a perfect example of that. Knock it off. Pray for safety and leave it at that. Sheesh...
3. So and so is sick, please be with them.
I don't even know what to make of this one. God is everywhere at all times. He is always with everyone. To pray for something that is intrinsic to the character of God is for me to pray that my wife would be a woman.
My favorite is the hedge of protection. A hedge of protection... do people not know how long it takes to plant/grow a hedge of protection? SHeesh.
ReplyDeleteThere's also a clap offering - however don't use this in place of your ACTUAL offering.