How great a joy it is to spend the morning talking with God! I have been reminded in the past several weeks of the enjoyment that comes from spending time with the Father. Yet it has taken me a long time to come to this point in my prayer life. I remember memorizing the Lord’s prayer as a child, reciting “Now I lay me down to sleep…” and “God is great, God is good…”. I remember being nervous to pray out loud in front of a group, and more recently learning how to pray through scripture. Each little step; however small, has helped me to grow.
Two weeks ago in Reading Club we spent some time asking for prayer requests and praying together in small groups. It was such a sweet and wonderful time. We listened to all of their requests reminding them that God listens to our requests. We prayed for each other, because even Jesus himself prays for us!
Our youngest group asked mainly that they would have different fruits of the Spirit that we have been learning. Praise God that they understand that these come from him! When was the last time that greater love for others or self-control topped your prayer list?
Our older groups asked for more requests dealing with fear, whether wanting to do well in school or wanting the shooting to stop in Gate City. One student wanted prayer to learn to pray out loud. Again, when did that top your list?
I was thrilled to be able to give scripture passages to students and their Reading Buddies the next week based on their requests. In pairs, they prayed through the verses knowing that God knew about their request before they even asked and he deeply cares for them. What a privilege it is to see children learning how to talk to their Daddy! They are reminding me how to pray as much as we are teaching them.
