Be Yourself with God

God created you, and so he wants you to be the real you. By being authentic when you speak to God, you worship him as you Creator.

For years I copied the prayers of other people. I noticed they used certain words and even a special tone of voice. I imitated all the religious cliches: "Lead, guide and direct us, O Lord." "Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies." "Bless the gift and the giver." 

In New Testament times, prayers were wordy, meaningless rituals. There was no spontaneity, no genuineness. But Jesus says don't get caught up in ritual prayer. You don't have to use fancy language. You can't impress God with fancy language, and you shouldn't be trying to impress other people either. 

I love to hear new Christians pray -- no pious pomposity. They haven't learned the cliches yet. They just say, "Hi, God. It's me." That's how you make contact with God. You just talk with your Heavenly Father about what's on your mind. Just pray your heart. Reveal yourself.

*The post is from Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.