The best reward of prayer

"When my two children were young, I played a game with them. I would take a few coins and put them in my hand; I'd show them the coins and then close my hand over them. My youngsters would crawl up in my lap and try to pry open my fingers one at a time. Once they captured the coins, they would scream with delight and jump down to treasure their prize.

What I enjoyed about that game was having my son and daughter sit in my lap, and feel them close to me. The pennies really didn't mean much to me, but in another way they meant everything to me because during penny play my children laughed and talked with me while I expressed with hugs my deep love for them.

When we pray we often concentrate on the gifts in God's hand and ignore the hand of God Himself. We pray fervently for the new job or for the return of health. When we gain the prize, we are delighted. ...

Although God in His grace does give good gifts to His children, He offers us more than that. He offers us Himself.

Those who are satisfied with the trinkets in the Father's hand miss the best reward of prayer - the reward of communicating and communing with the God of the universe."

~ Haddon W. Robinson, "The Solid Rock Construction Company"