I love hearing my kids find their voice as they learn to talk to God.
Emma goes for loud and proud. โDear Jesus,โ sheโll begin, then we usually get a nice pause. This is followed by her thanking Him for something about her day, or the food, or something really random like swings or a television show.
I know God looks forward to her prayers. I believe they make Him smile.
Then thereโs James. At four, his prayers are already starting to sound like the prayers heโs heard. Heโs likely to ask God to help us โhave a great dayโ or โkeep us safeโ and heโs been known to throw in a request for frozen yogurt or a trip to the park. He also is starting to question things.
He recently wanted to know why we say โAmenโ at the end of our prayer. I told him what Iโve always been told, that โamenโ means โso be it.” That went flying over his head, so I backed up and went with, โitโs a word we use to end our prayers.โ He hasnโt started saying โgoodbyeโ or โlaterโ so I think heโs good with amen.
Of course, I imagine God cracking up as this little guy starts to have more of a conversation with Him. I think He loves the questions and looks forward to James coming to Him with more complex queries in the years ahead.
And then thereโs Drew. At two, his prayers go like thisโฆDear Jesusโฆ(long pause)โฆAmen.
Itโs cute, right? Adorable really.
Heโll grow more verbose in the months ahead.
But I wonder if God kinda wishes he wouldnโt.
I wonder if He wishes more of us prayed the way Drew does.
Dear Jesusโฆ(long pauseโฆsitting quietly, waiting for Him) โฆ so be it.
So often, I try to tell God everything I need, because I know what I need. I try to explain the mess, because I know all the ins and outs of the situation. I try to propose a solution, because Iโve been thinking about this for a while.
Waitโฆwhy am I praying again?
Maybe we could all take a lesson from Drew. Maybe we need to approach the throne, not with a laundry list of desires, but with one desire.
Dear Jesusโฆwhatever You wantโฆso be it.
Amen.
Sometimes that's all I can manage to say, but I know He knows what I cannot put into words.
I LOVE it Lynn. "Whatever you want, Lord, so be it." Jesus said that those who have the faith of a child are those whom Jesus loves.
Mom – so true!
Ellen – Thanks!! Hope to see you next week!
Lynn, I think this is my favorite post of yours. Not because it told me something new, but it told me something needed. Thank you!