Much to my children's shock I've started listening to country music. My favorite are what I call silly country songs. The latest fav is one called Pray for You. It starts out talking about how this guy has started going back to church after his life has fallen apart. He listens to the preacher tell him what to do about not hating those who have done you wrong, you have to let the good Lord do His job and you just pray for them. Then the silly part takes over as he lists what he is praying for, That brakes go out running down a hill, that a flower pot falls from a window sill and knocks you in the head like I would like to etc. and just know wherever you are I pray for you. You just keep messing up and I'll pray for you.
I can't help it, I crack up every time I hear the song. Knowing that we should pray for those who have somehow wronged us and actually doing it are two different things. The human part of me liked the prayers listed in this song. How many times do we pray and really hope that we can just then sit back and watch God take care of someone that has hurt us. What if God's way of taking care of the situation is for us to make the first move. After all sometimes the person who hurt us does not even realize it. So how can they ask for forgiveness when they don't realize they crossed some line.
The song just contrasts to me God's forgiveness and man's - God has to look at things we do and want to nudge that flower pot off the window sill when we walk by to get out attention. Instead He loves us, offers us complete forgiveness and then miracles of miracles He forgets the sin. He is not there just waiting for us to mess up again so he can zap us, He is walking with us to help us truly change our lives if we rely on Him.
Yes I will still smile when someone says I'll pray for you, but I hope they are praying through God's vision and not man's.
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