This morning I opened my YouVersion app and the verse of the day was Matthew 7:8: “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” There was a short video chat on the verse and one comment caught my attention. The presenter stated that we cannot get everything we seek or ask for because then prayer would be like a magic trick. I know about magic tricks; I’ve been doing magic tricks since I was a kid. While it is true that prayer is not like a magic trick, there are some similarities worth noting, I think. I know, for example, that I need to practice a particular trick over and over before I perform it for anyone. If I don’t, chances are it will not come out right and, more importantly, it will not be convincing. In the same way, we need to practice our faith and our prayer life. That way, when we “present” our prayers to God, and our faith to others, we are more convincing. On the other hand, when I perform a magic trick, it must come off perfectly. If not, again, not convincing! God, on the other hand, does not seek perfection from us. True, in Matthew 5:48 we read: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Thankfully, I believe, that is an aspiration and not a requirement. One final comparison. The magic tricks I perform are primarily for children: “If we all could see the world through the eyes of a child we would see the magic in everything.” (Chee Vai Tang). In Matthew 18:1-5, we read: “Truly I say, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” So, we need to ask, seek, and knock as a child…that is when we truly see how wonderfully we are made. Psalm 139:14. Wow, I feel so inspired, I think I will go practice my magic tricks! Hey, here is the link to one of my tricks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF8LOK3rTdU&list=PLZ18io62pV0Udx0kkj0d7cUe7ocMo_PJR&index=8&t=42s, Check it out! Hope you like it. 😊