Who I Pray To

Last week in a discussion with some ladies I asked if any of them ever prayed to the Holy Spirit. I thought I was going to hear a chorus of yesses in response, but instead they all said they only pray to God. They explained that since God is actually three-in-one all at the same time — God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit — that they only addressed “God” in prayer. As one woman expressed, since all three exist as one God anyway, why use different names to address Him?

Yes, she is correct. All the ladies were.

Yes, praying to “God” is the same as praying to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit simultaneously.

This post isn’t about theology or splitting hairs over inconsequential matters.

This post is about personal practice.

Because their responses surprised me, I have been mulling over this matter all week. Truth is, I have freely addressed our three-in-one God differently based on what I am praying.

Always have.

Though most of the time I do pray to “God” as the three-in-one, I frequently begin prayer by addressing one of them in particular…not because I am talking to one in exclusion of the other two, but because one member of the Godhead is prominent in my thoughts at that particular moment based on my particular need or praise that day.

Some days I need a Father.

Even though I am in my fifties (I hate typing that), sometimes I am still like a little girl who wants to crawl into her daddy’s lap and just cry.

So I do.

And when I do, I say things like:

• Father, help me, this hurts.
• Daddy, hold me together today because I feel vulnerable.
• Father, protect me.
• Father, I am trusting you to take care of…(the list is endless).

Some days I need Jesus.

In the battle against sin in which we all wage, I find myself confessing sin.

Other times I am filled with gratitude that he left heaven to come to earth and pay for my sins…and the sins of everyone in the world.

And when I do, I say things like:

• Jesus, what I did was just terrible. Thank you for dying for that too.
• Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins! I am so grateful that I don’t have to pay the debt myself.
• Jesus, I can’t believe you paid my debt for me.

Some days the Holy Spirit is on my mind.

I often ache for the world to see God’s nature through me. I long to be a display of His splendor, and I can’t do it.

I simply can’t.

I have no power to produce any particular effect from my actions.

Let me repeat myself.

I have no power to produce any particular effect from my actions.

Powerless.

Therefore, I say things like:

• Spirit, fill me up, every nook and cranny.
• Spirit, you are the only power I have. Turn everything I do today into Kingdom advancement.
• Holy Spirit, spill out of me today. You are the only Person I want the world to see.
• Holy Spirit of God, not me. All you. Show Yourself strong through me.

I know this post is lighter than most, but upon finding out that my habit might be a unique one, I thought I would chat about it a bit. Feel free to respond with whether or not you do the same.

Once more…for clarification…talking to God the Father, Son or Holy Spirit is the same as talking to all three at the same time — the three-in-one Godhead.

But for my need that particular day,

for my prayers to reflect my personality,

for my prayers to be completely natural and unfiltered,

This interchange of titles has always come from my lips when praying to God.

As for the pictures in this post…

There’s nothing to say except adoption, fostering, mothering, grandmothering and diversity are beautiful things.

© 2016 by Oaks Ministries. All rights reserved.