How do we pray?
I've been wondering- even before the events of Monday night- how do we pray as parents?
How should I pray when my child faces trouble and pain, and there's nothing I can do?
You see, those prayers I feel I ought to pray- thy will be done for example- don't spring easily to my lips when it's my kids, not me.
What do I say when my daughter urgently needs an operation and I can't get her an appointment?
What do you say when you are waiting in agony for your missing child to phone, or to come home, or to come out of intensive care? What do you do - and my heart and mind can barely go there- if they are not coming home again?
The gospels are full of desperate parents and friends, coming to Jesus. When God put his feet on the dusty earth people came and poured out their hearts- please, look on this one I love and make it better!
He never said 'your prayers aren't holy enough'. Oh, he may have led them to see the deeper need of their hearts, but in mercy and gentleness.
So I take my rough, raw, untutored prayers to his throne room, where I can only come because of the Son- and I say, Lord, my heart breaks for this child-
And I listen in wonder as the Heavenly Father, the creator of the universe, gives his reply-
I know
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