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In the later part of last week, parking lots at my working place were a lot less crowded than usual – many of my colleagues started to take vacation days. “Happy Holidays” became a common greeting around the hallway of buildings.

Yes, it is a holiday season. We use this occasion to express our love or appreciation to our friends and families – this could be as simple as a greeting card or an oral expression. Alternatively, it could be a present or gift. However, we also need to remember that ‘Jesus is the reason for this season’. We are celebrating His birthday and He gives us an opportunity to spend time with our friends and families. Without Him, we have nothing. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him (Colossians 1:16) 因為萬有都是靠他造的，無論是天上的、地上的，能看見的、不能看見的，或是有位的、主治的、執政的、掌權的，一概都是藉著他造的，又是為他造的。

In this season, my wife and I decided, as a gift, to upgrade our kids’ cell phones in ‘hoping’ them would communicate with us more easily and certainly, more frequently. For those of you having youths or college kids, you may know what I meant. 🙁 If we look at current smart phones in the market, they all equip with many bells and whistles that we – the outdated folks – couldn’t imagine in our days. No wonder we have the “head-down” generation phenomenon – everyone is heading down to browse and texting his / her cell phone all the time.

During the upgrading of our kids’ phones, we need to choose a phone plan carrier. Incidentally, I find that among many others, there is a cell phone plan carrier called “Straight talk” in the market. The company touts as a “contract-less and pay as you go” plan carrier. The name ‘Straight talk’ catches my attention and let me think of a question, “Do we like a straight talk or something with flurry and fanciful words?”

Many times, flurry and fanciful words are likely to impress someone instead of a straight talk. It is, however, good to hear but bad to listen, if those words are NOT sincere from his / her heart. This kind of talking – smooth talk and in-sincere words – seems commonly accepted in the political arena and public. Nevertheless, the Bible taught us that we have to speak truthfully with love. And, we can have a “straight talk” with our God, any time and under any circumstances. What a privilege!

We sometimes may think wordings in our prayer are NOT good enough and consequently God wouldn’t grant it. I think this is just a scheme from the evil one. In the book of Mark, there recorded a miracle performed by Jesus on a blind man called Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52).  Bartimaeus received his sight by pleading to Jesus openly and loudly without shyness. He is very specific about his request and he presents his request with faith. These are points that we can learn from him when we are praying for ourselves or interceding for others – a straight talk, be specific and with faith. Our Lord will not be impressed by any flurry and fanciful words. It is the pure and sincere heart enables us to be pleased by Him. Someone once said, “The heart of prayer is prayer from the heart. (發自內心的禱告是禱告的核心)”. Just imagine how we can freely talk to our earthly father, we can use the similar fashion to pray to our Heavenly Father too. Let’s be reminded that be sincere and be specific with faith are all He wants.