"God, Please Help it Not to be Our House"

This excerpt is from a great book on prayer by Paul Miller.

“The church’s tendency toward unnatural spirituality has been further influenced in recent years by our culture’s embrace of Buddhist spirituality. In Buddhism you become enlightened and reach nirvana when you stop desiring. Thus Buddhist monks repeat “om” mindlessly to themselves in an attempt to become one with the all. The goal is the suppression of desire.

Jesus could not be more different. Read the gospels and you’ll discover a passionate, feeling man. Thank God we have a Savior who is in touch with the real world, who prays that he will not drink the cup of his Father’s wrath, who cries out on a rough wooden cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus neither suppresses his feelings nor lets them master him. He is real.

It is perfectly natural to pray, ‘God, please help whomever’s house is on fire. Keep them safe, and help it not to be our house.’ You are honest with your desire and loving at the same time. If you are sinking on the Titanic, you pray ‘God, get me a place in a lifeboat,’ and then you put all your energy into helping other people get on. Desire and surrender are the perfect balance to praying.”
Paul Miller, A Praying Life