Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

At the age of 57, the rock star known as Prince is dead.

According to the news reports, Prince was a genius, a prodigy, a phenomenon who won Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and the respect of everyone in the music and fashion community.

So far no one has made the claim that Prince was a great theologian, and that's a shame.

Why? Here's the story. Prince gave his last concert in Atlanta on Thursday. After the concert and on his way home he was taken ill with the "flu." His private plane made an unscheduled landing in Illinois and, after being treated at the hospital, he continued home.

On Saturday night he threw a party at his studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

The party was a great success. Two hours in, Prince showed up and played a few tunes on his new purple piano. After his short performance, he fielded questions from the gathered crowd. One of his fans, quite understandably, asked about his health.

Prince's reply was "Wait a few days before you waste any prayers."

You see, I told you he wasn't a theologian. And that's sad. It would have been far better if Prince knew what almost all of our Daily Devotioners know: that faith-driven prayers to the Triune God are never a wasted commodity. Repeatedly in Scripture the Lord encourages His people to call on Him, to come to Him, to rely on Him, to turn to Him, and trust Him.

No, on Saturday night most of us would have disagreed with the rock icon and told Prince that prayers to the Lord are always a good thing. We would have said it, but many of us, in our own lives might not have practiced it.

You see, over the years I've noticed that many Christians have a self-imposed standard which divides our possible prayer requests into two different columns. The first column is composed of things for which we most definitely pray. In that list are things like prayers for the health of our children, prayers for suitable weather, or a new job, or for those whose faith is under attack.

Items in the second column are those things we have decided are too trivial, too inconsequential to be sent to the Lord for His attention. With his brief comment, Prince showed he thought he could take care of his health problems, without God's assistance.

My friends, I've looked through Scripture and have concluded that God doesn't have two columns in regard to prayer. I find no place where the Lord turned away from one of His people because He thought their requests were too trivial.

No, because of the Savior's successful sacrifice, our Heavenly Father extends an open-ended invitation to call on Him. And we should. In big things and little things, in matters consequential and trivial, we should go to the Lord who stands ready to hear.

THE PRAYER: Dear Father in heaven, may I always be appreciative of Your invitation to hear my prayer, and may I always be ready to come to You with my praises and petitions. This I ask in my Savior's Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 10-12    Luke 19:1-27

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