Hear It on Sunday, Use It on Monday: For the Times You Pray First-World Prayers

A few nights ago I had insomnia. Bad. So bad, in fact, I ended up on the living room couch at 2 a.m., staring out the window at the frost-covered branches lit brilliant in the moonlight. Both Brad and I suffer from insomnia, so four nights out of seven, one of us is usually on the couch. I cringe to think of what the kids might be saying to their friends and teachers about the state of our marriage.

But I digress.

I prayed on and off as I stared out the window that late night – not about starving children, not about ill loved ones, not about sex trafficking or any other of the world’s myriad horrific problems…but about my current book project. I’m in the middle of writing a proposal for a new book idea, and it’s due at the end of the month. I’ve been sleeping, waking, eating and breathing this book project for days now, and to say it’s been causing me anxiety would be an epic understatement.

Still, my enormous anxiety over this new book project pales in comparison to most people’s problems, right? It’s what you would call a “First World problem.” I’ll be honest, I feel pretty pathetic when I pray to God about my First World problems. Sometimes I even preface my First World prayers with a disclaimer. “I’m sorry, God,” I begin. “I know this is dumb, I know this isn’t even a ‘real’ problem, but…”

Ever do that? Ever sheepishly apologize to God for prayers you suspect are a little bit lame?

But then I read this week’s lesson about the wedding at Cana, and I was reminded that Jesus cares about everything, even the small, inconsequential worries that keep us up at night.

It’s true, he thought twice about remedying the wine shortage. When his mother Mary brought the problem to his attention, Jesus basically told her to put a lid on it. “Dear woman,” he said, “that’s not our problem. My time hasn’t come yet.” (John 2:4) But then he changed his mind. Jesus turned the water into wine — and not any old Two Buck Chuck, but the very best wine, the Henri Jayer Richebourg Cote de Nuit. He saved the host from embarrassment and he saved the day.

A wine shortage at a party isn’t exactly a life-and-death problem. It’s what we might call a First World problem today. But in the end, it wasn’t too small of a concern for Jesus, because no concern is too small for him.

Jesus loves us and cares about us. He weeps with us when we grieve; he celebrates with us when we rejoice. No concern is too small, no problem too paltry to lay at his feet.

So go ahead. Don’t apologize. Bring every one of your worries to Jesus. He’s listening.

Questions for Reflection:
Do you believe in your heart that God cares about even your smallest problems? Do you ever reserve your prayers for the big issues or feel guilty about praying for small things?

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