Prayer Is An Answer Not A Question

REFLECTIONS
September 27, 2009

I was taught a very common children’s prayer as a child, “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake. I pray the Lord my soul to take.” The prayer would continue with a series of God bless mom, dad, brother, sister, dog, cat and any other elements a young mind could think of to add. While modern spiritual formation tells us this probably is not the best prayer to teach a youngster it was easily memorized and frequently taught. My favorite prayer was the grace before meals. “God is good, God is great, we thank thee for this daily food by your hands we all are fed, we thank you for this daily bread, Amen.” The point for me was to say the prayer in one sentence with one breath in less than ten seconds if possible. At first these prayers seem formulaic, pedantic, over simplistic, or any number of critical thoughts which one may care to lift. However, at least someone took the time to teach them.

In my late teens as I was struggling with a call to ministry, (which I eventually answered in my mid-twenties) my mother asked me about my prayer life. I shared that it was much the same as she had taught me as a child. She shared that there was much more to prayer as an adult. More important still, she talked to me about her own prayer life and then helped me begin to form a more mature approach to prayer. When my mother prayed, she spoke directly to God as if she had immediate access. She prayed as one seeking advise and council. She was confident and trusting as if speaking to a friend. These were concepts I had not considered before. She made clear what she was asking for in prayer. Guidance from God for her and her family, and for a sense of protection, calm and council not things or possessions, but divine care for family, community and country. She later told me of a time when we were moving from Dearborn, Michigan to Connecticut about praying for the sale of the family home and promising more than a tithe to the Church. I asked if it worked. She said before I prayed we had no offers, and afterward we had two. I asked if she gave the money to the Church and she said you know I did, I gave my word to God. When I suggested that this was a bit like asking for money, she was quick to say to the contrary. I wasn’t seeking material gain except for the purpose of caring for my family. When I asked about the donation she smiled and said “I gave the money to the pastor, in cash.” I said how do you know the money went to the Church? My mom laughed out loud and said, “Silly, my prayer was to give the money to God not a minister. In my heart that is what was done.”

Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Avenue, North Hollywood, CA 91601