Yesterday I talked to a group of teens and preteens about knowing your worth in Christ. It involved giving my own testimony, including the self-destructive things that I did because I didn’t feel valuable, so it was exciting but exhausting. By the time I put Nathan to bed I could hardly move let alone read him a story. So I used it as an opportunity to encourage him to practice his reading skills (in other words, I had him do the reading—he chose the Cars Early Reader book that he has memorized).
When it came time to pray I asked him to lead. If I hadn’t been so exhausted I would have cracked up. After each sentence he asked me to repeat it as I used to do when he was younger. He prayed for me, my husband who is taking college classes, and for our safety during the night. It went something like this (Insert “say it, Mom” after every other line).
Dear Lord, thank you for this day and for this food (we’d eaten hours before but I guess he felt thankful again). Please help Mom to feel better. Please help Dad do his school work good. Help him not to get a “F”. ‘Cause he can do it. Help Christian to . . . (sigh) help Christian. Please keep us safe while we sleep. In Jesus’ Name, Amen (said as one word).
The cool part is that I’d never heard him say such a long prayer without my occasional prompts. It all flowed from his heart. I couldn’t help imaging God smiling over the scene of a 5-year-old praying for his tired mommy and daddy. It also reminded me that I can approach my Heavenly Father just as Nathan did—innocently sharing the concerns of my heart, even when they are as simple as “And help Christian” (obviously Nathan knows something that I don’t know—we may need to have a talk).
I pray that you will find time to go to your Father as His beloved child today!
Jeanette
When it came time to pray I asked him to lead. If I hadn’t been so exhausted I would have cracked up. After each sentence he asked me to repeat it as I used to do when he was younger. He prayed for me, my husband who is taking college classes, and for our safety during the night. It went something like this (Insert “say it, Mom” after every other line).
Dear Lord, thank you for this day and for this food (we’d eaten hours before but I guess he felt thankful again). Please help Mom to feel better. Please help Dad do his school work good. Help him not to get a “F”. ‘Cause he can do it. Help Christian to . . . (sigh) help Christian. Please keep us safe while we sleep. In Jesus’ Name, Amen (said as one word).
The cool part is that I’d never heard him say such a long prayer without my occasional prompts. It all flowed from his heart. I couldn’t help imaging God smiling over the scene of a 5-year-old praying for his tired mommy and daddy. It also reminded me that I can approach my Heavenly Father just as Nathan did—innocently sharing the concerns of my heart, even when they are as simple as “And help Christian” (obviously Nathan knows something that I don’t know—we may need to have a talk).
I pray that you will find time to go to your Father as His beloved child today!
Jeanette
1 comment:
That's so sweet. One of these days' I'd like to meet your boys (including Norm :) And every time Sara asks me to pray with her before bed time, I am amazed at how sweet and innocent she is and am reminded that that is how we are to believe in and approach God also. Have a wonderful day!
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