A Cheap God

This episode urges believers to stop approaching God with small, timid requests, likening such prayer to a fable about a poor peddler who, when granted anything by heaven, asked only for a cup of coffee and a doughnut revealing the smallness of his soul. Many Christians pray the same way, treating the Maker of heaven and earth as though He were a “cheap God” who provides only the bare minimum. John Newton’s hymn answers this mentality by reminding believers that they come before a King and should therefore bring “large petitions,” for God’s grace is abundant and no request is too great. True prayer includes bold petitions, intercession for others, and continual renewal of strength, all of which show that God is not stingy but a generous wellspring of blessing for His people.