"May I take your order?"

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Imagine if you will a human friendship/relationship. One friend calls the other and says, "Hey, on your way home, would you mind picking me up a bag of rice? I'm out and I know you'll pass a grocery on your way home." "Sure. Absolutely!", the friend replies. The next day, our friend calls again, "Hey, thanks for your help yesterday - and - on your way home would you mind picking up some pickles? I'm out." 
"Sure," the friend replies.
"Also, could you drop by the pharmacy and pick up my prescription?"
"Sure," the friend replies.
"Hey, my house really needs painting and my hand hurts too much to do it myself. Could you do it for me or, if you can't then just bring me something to make my hand feel better. That will be okay..Thank you."

This is pretty much the totality of their conversations.

Imagine this going on for years and years. Almost every time they talk, they have similar conversations to the one above. Do you think at some point the friend being asked for favors will decide that the friend asking doesn't have a heartfelt attachment to them, but rather are using them for what they can provide?

Now, we can not apply this scenario to the Christian "as is" because Scripture implores us to keep bringing our burdens and requests to God. We can however, take a lesson away from the story. As for our prayer time, it is paramount we come to God in prayer with our needs. Jesus said, "Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7 HCSB

And what about the story of the unjust judge who finally gives the woman justice because of her persistent knocking? This parable was to teach us to be tenacious in prayer. (Matthew 18:1-8)

Yet, as Christians we must ask ourselves if our life and conversations with God look like the friendship described above. Does our prayer life consist mostly of our pick lists? Is our quiet time with God characterized by only listing our needs? Is our relationship with the Lord balanced by praise and worship? Do we also worship God with the way that we live our lives (Rom 12:1-2)?
Do we know Jesus or just know about Him?

If you had a friend like this - would you feel the relationship was one sided? Likewise, God does not only want our pick lists, though we should feel secure in bringing our requests to Him. More then our pick lists, God wants our very heart. 

Lord, make our very lives and our very beings a prayer unto you. Amen.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV