Jul
11
2017
The Dialogue
Posted in Prayer 2 Comments
It is VBS week at my church.
It is an exciting week, with many children coming into the church building.
It is a joy to see their eager faces.
It is a privilege to be a part of every evening.
There is usually a call for help.
Teachers, aides, someone to handle crafts, snacks, outside games, and missions are needed.
I asked about being part of a behind the scenes ministry.
A quiet ministry that is vitally important but is often unseen.
I have the privilege of leading a prayer team for the week.
It is a privilege to come before God the Father in prayer.
We approach the throne of grace with confidence. (Hebrews 4:16)
We ask in Jesus’ name because we know that He was heard by His Father. (Hebrews 5:7)
That is why prayer is such a privilege.
That is why prayer is so important.
That is why prayer is so effectual.
That is why prayer is powerful.
We gathered with the children’s ministry director and prayed with her.
We walked past the various areas the children would be throughout the evening.
We told the staff in each area we would be praying for them.
We headed towards the Gathering Room in a quiet corner of the church to pray.
Small cards were printed for the children to write their prayer requests.
A notebook was placed in a designated area for the staff to write their requests.
A list with the names of all the children was given to us.
The lesson for each evening was given to us as well.
We were on holy ground.
If two or three come together in My name, there I am with them. (Matthew 18:20)
It is amazing to gather for prayer.
The Holy Spirit guides the prayer and the focus.
As we were getting ready to begin, a young mother came in to join us.
She was holding her precious three-month-old son in her arms.
I was so delighted to see her there.
I was so delighted to see her son.
We began to pray over the names of each child on the list.
We prayed that they would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus early in their life.
We prayed that they would hear the Gospel; that the Good News would take root in their heart.
We prayed for joy to permeate their lives.
We prayed for the families of each child.
We prayed for the time in the car as they were driven to and from VBS each evening.
We prayed for the children to be kind to each other and for friendships to be made.
We prayed for the children to see genuine Christian love.
As we were praying, the precious little boy started to make his hunger known.
His sweet mother fed him.
One of the other women reached over and took the little boy in her arms after he was fed.
She stood up and did the mommy rock that any mother holding a baby knows so well.
Eyes closed in prayer, I could only surmise what the little boy looked like in her arms.
I could hear his sweet infant sounds.
Then in the quiet, I knew the baby fell asleep in her arms.
When we finished and our eyes were open, I saw the little boy so content in her arms.
He stirred a bit.
The woman, a mother and a grandmother, laid him expertly in her lap.
His head was at her knees and his feet could easily kick against her stomach.
I smiled because I held my own children that way when they were babies.
The position enabled this woman to talk to the baby so easily.
She took his little feet in her hands and kissed the soles of his feet, making him smile.
She had the baby’s full attention; he watched the movement of her mouth as she talked to him.
Then this precious little boy began to talk back to her.
The baby tried so hard to move his mouth the way she was moving her mouth.
The baby tried to talk to her, making sweet sounds as he seemed to wait for her response.
The woman answered him in the quiet.
A dialogue happened between the two of them; his infant words could not be discerned.
It was a precious thing to watch.
I realized that I was seeing a depiction of us and our Heavenly Father.
I realized that we are in His lap much like this precious little boy was nestled in hers.
I understood that, as we pray, a dialog is happening between us and God the Father.
We talk to Him in words that often sound like gibberish in our pain and frustration.
God the Father listens attentively, never leaving our gaze.
God the Father hears us until our words stop.
God the Father answers us in the quiet.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
(Romans 8:26)
We are nestled in the lap of our Heavenly Father as we babble away.
We look up into His eyes and see His great love for us.
We learn how to talk to Him in prayer.
That holy dialog with our Heavenly Father continues all our life.
How blessed we are to have such intimacy with our Heavenly Father.
Prayer is not to be formulaic.
Prayer is simply talking to God the Father.
Prayer is knowing for certain that He will answer.
What a precious evening. And what a tender observation. This visual is one I will hold to when I go before the Father. Thank you, dear friend!
Andi,
The picture is one I carry in my heart as well. How wonderful it was to pray with you.
Blessings, sweet friend!
Gina