Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The prayers of little ones

Sunday when we were driving home from church, Isabella says, "Sarah* scratched me three times at church." (*Name changed to protect the identity of her actual little friend from Sunday School)
I said to Isabella, "Why did Sarah scratch you?"
Isabella said, " Because she wanted to be mean and make mean choices."
Trying to make the best of this, I suggested to Isabella that she pray for her friend. So Isabella prayed, "Dear God, please make Sarah not mean and not to scratch me anymore at church."
Don't the prayers of children demonstrate the childlike faith that we all should have? Isabella didn't wrap her thoughts in rhetoric or pretense. She just said exactly what she was concerned about to God, fully believing that He would make Sarah not mean. I love her straightforwardness and her belief.

Yesterday our friend Robby was supposed to go to a basketball game with Matt, but he had a horrible stomach virus. So at lunch the kids and I prayed that he would get well soon. After a few minutes, Abby said, "Mom, we should call Bellevue to tell them we have a prayer request." I started to explain that you usually call the church only for major ones like death or hospitalization, but I thought better of it. So I asked her what our request was. She said that we needed to ask Bellevue to pray for Mr. Robby so that he wouldn't be sick anymore. I love that! What would happen if we all rallied in prayer that urgently and that largely for every small request like that?

I just had to share what I've seen the Lord doing in my girls' lives. It's amazing to see His hand in their little lives as they grow in their knowledge of Him. And for anyone reading, please take some time to pray for my dear Isabella. She's been running a fever since Sunday afternoon....and she is awfully miserable. She just wants to be held 24/7. Poor baby...I hope this passes quickly.

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