Pray like a child...

A few weeks ago I had all three of my grandboys.  Corey is 3 – and Thursdays are hard days for him.  It is his second day of school for the week, and he is just tired.  If I call my daughter, Katie, on Thursday afternoon, and I hear Corey seemingly upset or crying – I, of course, ask what is wrong.  Inevitably Katie’s response… it's Thursday.

So it was Thursday, and I had them for the afternoon.  All was going well – it was a beautiful day outside, so we were playing football.  Corey bent down to pick up the ball off the ground… and started screaming – now it sure sounded like a “hurt” cry to me, so I went to him.  He had fallen just a little – not to warrant that response… I reminded myself – it was Thursday.  As he tightly held his hand in his other hand, he continued to cry.  I took a look at his hand and realized he had been stung by some kind of bee – I saw the red dot in the middle and the circle around it.  I comforted him and said, “oh Corey, I am so sorry your hand hurts.”  

Before I could say anything else, he said, "Mimi – can you pray for my hand" – well, of course I will.  He stomped his foot a bit and said… NOW Mimi.  So I prayed.  He still whimpered but we went on with our day.  After playing outside, we headed in for a snack.  The boys were headed to our counter where the stools are set for each boy.  As Corey was getting up on his stool, he misjudged his height and raised up – hitting his head on the counter.  It is Thursday, remember.  I went to comfort him and before I could hardly get my arms around him, he said, “Mimi, can you pray for my head?”  Of course I can… and I knew he meant NOW.  SO I thanked God for helping his hand to feel better and I asked that God would help his head not to hurt so bad.  And so our evening went on.

Does Corey trust God?  Did he pray like he trusted God?  Did he follow the model of the Lord's prayer?  Did he follow the correct acronyms?

Adore

Confess

Thanksgiving

Supplication

Corey just simply prayed where he was... what he was concerned about... how he felt... no "fixing" everything in his life... just honest... childlike faith... childlike trust...

I love to pray with purpose.  I love to study prayer.  I love to discover new ways to pray from scripture.  I love to read books about prayer.  Paul E. Miller has written a great book called, "A Praying Life."  The book is such a practical approach to prayer.  I heard him interviewed recently on a Christian Radio station.  

The question to him:  What are the three most important things to teach people about prayer?

His answer:  Pray like a child, pray like a child, pray like a child.

He continued that Jesus realized His need for the constant connection to His Father...

So Jesus explained himself at length. “I’m telling you this straight. The Son can’t independently do a thing, only what he sees the Father doing. What the Father does, the Son does. The Father loves the Son and includes him in everything he is doing.

 John 5:19-20

For just this week, will you join me in praying like a child...

Mark 10:13-16: People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”