When I was young I went to my father and said that I had a big exam the next day, "so say a pray for me".

That day things got busy and studying for the exam wasn't at the top of my priorities, but later that night I had the time to say my prayers and ask God to just let me pass the exam.

Well days came and went and so did the exam, until about a week later it was handed back with a "F" at the top of the page.

I laughingly suggested to my father that "well I guess God didn't answer my prayer".  My father soon pulled me aside and asked what I had meant by my statement.  I reminded him of the exam and had asked for a prayer so that God might see that I made a passing grade.  He replied "Son I too said a prayer for you, but I think He answered mine".  To my horror I asked "Did you pray for me to fail".  He laughed and said "no, but what was God's answer to you"?  I shrugged with a lost look on my face.  To this day what my father said to me Bangs loudly inside of my head.  My father said:  "I prayed that night for you to pass your exam, and after I prayed, I listened and God told me, "If Mark Will Study He Will Pass"".

So many times I think we just talk to God in passing and what we need to do is sit and try to engage him in a conversation.  We are arrogant and tell him what He already knows, ask for things that He already knows.  But if we would just sit and listen, God will speak to us, he will help us realize the cause of our problems, give us answers to our problems, and tell us how we can help ourselves.

By no means am I advocating not speaking to God, because I believe praying to God is one of the most cleansing thing for ones Soul.  I just think if we spent more time listening than talking we might be better off.

So I say my prayers and when I finish, I think of my Dad and say to myself  "Now, Shut Up and Listen".