First and Last

"Our Father, Who art in heaven,

Hallowed be Thy name"

Matthew 6:9

So I found myself watching a new show a few weeks ago.  Well, new to me.  I was over at my folks' house, where I don't have control of the remote ;)  and was watching a show that my mom likes.  {She, by the way, is also Amazing and Awesome.  It's a hereditary thing.}
 
It was one of these shows where competitors vie to win a show on that network.  The Food Network has one for aspiring TV chefs, and HGTV has one that's for aspiring TV decorators, for instance.  There's probably others.

Anyhow, the competitors generally have two different kinds of challenges ~ one in their field (cooking or decorating or whatever) and one on camera, to see how they would do as host of their own show.  Naturally, they're all pretty good in their chosen field ~ or else they wouldn't be there ~ but not all of them are comfortable with public speaking, or "camera-speaking".  So as the contestants compete in their challenges, the judges and advisers give them advice.

Well, one of these mentors gave a piece of advice that I thought was one of the most important and helpful I'd ever heard.  It applied not only to working in front of a camera, or working without a script, but really, to any public speaking at all.  It also applies to situations where you have to confront someone, job interviews and even things in writing.

So what was this magical piece of advice? 

"Have a good opening, and a good closing." 

I know, right?  Wonderful.

Hello's and good-bye's are often the most awkward parts of conversations, especially with someone you don't know well, or at all.  Written work, speeches, complaints to businesses.... these are all times when you know what your message is, but might not be sure how to lead in to the subject, or how to get out of it once you've said what you have to say. 

And while I was thinking how helpful this little nugget is going to be in my life, I realized that this is the perfect advice for prayer, too.  How do you open and close your prayers?  Is it just a series of complaints, followed by a series of requests, punctuated by pauses whenever you get distracted?   So what's missing?

Praise. 

Look at this.  It's Jeremiah 12:1.  Jeremiah has some questions for God, but before he launches into them, he opens with praise.  "Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgements."

Don't you love that?  Don't you love that we have a God of whom we can ask questions ~ even about His judgement ~ without being struck down?  That in itself is reason to praise Him.

Praise is not just telling Him something He already knows.  Praise is acknowledgment of who He is.  It is a reminder to us of the privilege we have in a sovereign Lord who cares what we think, and wants to hear from us.

Praise should be the first thing we say to Him in the morning, and the last at night.  When we come to Him with questions, needs or worries, they should be accompanied by praise.  First and last.  Now That's a good opening, and a good closing. 

~ "Yours is the kingdom 

and the power and the glory forever.  

Amen." ~

Matthew 6:13