Extravagant Prayers

I started praying for my husband when I was 12.

Encouraged by my youth leaders, some Godly friends and let's be honest- Rebecca St. James' self titled album, I was committed to live for The Lord. And to pray for my future husband.

So I made a list of all the qualities my 12 year old mind thought I would want in a husband and I started praying. 

He has to love God first and foremost.

He has to be respectful to his mom.

He has to be honest.

He HAS to make me laugh.

And the list went on. It was quite long actually. Character traits that looked like they added up to just the right man for me. Someday. :) Then at the bottom I added a personal request. Green Eyes. Somehow that one felt like it was too much to ask. It felt like an extravagant prayer. Can I really ask God for that? And isn't it already decided by now?

I prayed weekly, if not nightly, for years. That God would protect him and keep him for me.  I prayed that God would instill these qualities in my future husband and that when I met him, I'd recognize them and know it was him. And I knew it was silly... but ever so often I'd add, "and Lord if You see fit, could he have green eyes?" 

Enter scene: Jake Spencer.

I don't have to tell you that he met every quality on my list. But somehow the thing that blew my mind the most were his green eyes. God answered my prayers. Even the extravagant one.

And it's a reminder to me that my Father loves me. He wants to give me good gifts. He wants to show me how much He loves me.

And that sweet little answered prayer passed down to the next generation. 

Her eyes are a wink from God. He loves me.

God has answered a few extravagant prayers in my life. Beneath-my-breath ones and life-altering ones.

My mom was healed from cancer. That was a pretty extravagant prayer.

This guy came home to us, safe and sound. A gut wrenching plea.

And I still have a couple tucked in my heart. Extravagant prayers. Things deep in my heart. They may seem too big to pray. To far fetched or even too wonderful. And maybe they won't be answered this side of heaven. Or maybe they will.

You know, the Bible is full of extravagant prayers. Prayed by not so extravagant pray-ers.

Because The Lord of creation, the Saviour of our hearts... Has an extravagant love for His children.

~~~

Something happened today while I was writing this post and I don't believe it was a coincidence.

The kids were running through the house and playing. Inside doors and outside doors slamming shut as kids whirl past me singing and laughing and yelling "you're it!" But I stopped when I heard my 4 year old in the hall bathroom, screaming/grunting and pounding her feet on the floor. I opened the door to a full on tantrum. My voice has been gone for the last 3 days from allergies, so I wasn't able to give my admittedly wrong reaction of "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! You're too big to be throwing a tantrum like this!!!" Instead I had to whisper, "what's wrong?" She was so flustered and red faced that she couldn't even get words out to reply. She just pointed at a little tiara on the floor and back at her own head. She'd been trying to get it just right in her hair and it wouldn't stay on. I picked it up, tucked it in her hair, and whispered "there. Next time just ask."

What's the prayer hidden in your heart? What holds you back from praying it? Are you afraid? Are you bitter? Are you scream/grunting and pounding your feet on the floor because you can't do it yourself? The maker of your heart knows what you hold there and He longs for you to talk to Him about it. And He wants to answer your simple prayers and dare I say it... your extravagant ones, if you'll just ask Him and hand it over.

Every good and perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17





*Photo credits for the first two pictures, Brandon Chesbro