When we seek God in simple things, hope permeates our lives.
I frequently associate Scripture with what I see in nature, and focus on ordinary and everyday occurrences. I’m passionate about this.
Most of our daily lives consist of small things.
The other day my wife, Candace, misplaced a checkbook. She had it on her desk, and then it went missing. I helped her search high and low, even under the car seats. Nothing.
Desperate, we both prayed. A little while later, she opened a box of new checks, and bingo, there it lay. One could say this was a logical place to put the checkbook, and the Lord had nothing to do with finding it, but I’m thankful to give Him the credit.
God cares about small things.
In Psalms 56:8, we read, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” (NLT)
The idea of praying for the commonplace brings bumblebees to mind. Yep, bees.
Scientifically, bumblebees belong to the Tribe Bombini, which is kind of a cute name. These chubby little critters love my abelias, Abby and Leah, and I love to watch them buzz among the blossoms.
A popular myth tells us bumblebees should not be able to fly. The truth is amazing. When bumblebees fly, they rotate their wings up to 600 beats per second, and make mini-hurricanes to lift their bodies, so the truth is bumblebees do abide by God’s laws over this world.
“Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” Ps. 119:18 (ESV)
So what do bumblebees have to do with praying? They underscore just how much our Father cares about our lives. They tell us we can depend on Him. If God lets fat bees fly, then He wants to hear our prayers, our everyday, ordinary and simple prayers.
He already knows your heart. We don’t pray to our Father to inform Him, but to know we trust Him. God knew Abraham would lay his son, Isaac, on the altar, but Abraham needed to know too.
Our faith is gifted to us by God, but He loves us enough to allow us to choose to trust Him with every detail of our lives. We fear our circumstances, but God has compassion for our fear (Psalm 103:13).
We say we want to know our Father’s will: whether to turn one way or another, but God has a question for us, “Will you trust Me, and take Me with you, on every path you walk?”
Corrie Ten Boom said, “Is prayer your steering wheel, or your flat tire?”
Maybe you misplaced your checkbook. Maybe you’re exhausted from a long, tense bedside vigil with a loved one: not all things are simple. He wants you to talk with Him. He cares.
When I’m not sure what to pray, I pray the prayer that never fails. (Matthew 6:10)
“So let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.” Hosea 6:3 (ESV)
Jesus told his disciples a parable, to show them they should always pray and not give up. Jesus told the story of a judge who refused to grant justice to a widow. The woman pleaded persistently for him to grant her justice, until he finally gave in (Luke 18:1-8).
Jesus said, “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” (Luke 18:6a, NIV)
Day and night. He’s always listening. I love my “sweet hour of prayer,” but sometimes concerns come to mind, and I may not be able to retire to a quiet place just then.
I have a long-time friend, who is a teacher 
and a gifted music minister. Years ago, he told me about “arrow prayers.” When something came to mind during his day, he’d shoot up an arrow prayer. God loves to catch our arrows.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)
Bumblebees.
Arrows.
Simple prayers.
Whatever stirs your heart, pause, and talk to Him. He is Jehovah Jireh. He is Jehovah Rapha.
Selah.