Praying like a child...

Last week my parents had all of the grandkids for VBS. All the kids took a turn praying for meals. I would read them a story and each of them would pray before we tucked them into bed.

I’m not really sure where they learned to pray but they are the best pray-ers I know, especially the youngest ones. They are honest and real. They hold nothing back and don’t think twice about what God or anyone else might think. They tell God exactly how they feel. They pray with such great expectation. Why wouldn’t God hear me and answer me? He IS God! Check this out…

Dear God, sometimes they tell me I have to go to bed and I don’t want to. I’m not tired but they still tell me what to do. Could you make me the boss so I can tell them what to do? Then I can tell them I don’t have to go to bed. (Emily, 3)

Dear God, thank you for today and thank you for this food. Help me get a little brother soon and help us adopt Aggie and Gwen. Help us have a good day with Jesus, playing with Jesus, eating with Jesus and having fun with Jesus. Amen. (Logan, 5)

Emily prays for about five minutes and only breathes twice. She can be hard to understand sometimes, but when you can she is talking to God like he is right there next to her. Every time Logan prays he asks for his sister to be adopted. He and Aggie fight most of the time but he so badly wants them to officially become his sisters.

Aggie (4) and Gwen (2) are the same way. Aggie occasionally turns her prayers into songs. Gwen loves to just start laughing as she is talking with God as if she had just told him a joke. I guess she very well good have since she can be hard to understand every now and then.

Why don’t I pray like this? How is it that I don’t get it and a 3 year old can? How did I get so cynical? It really is so simple. I have so much to learn!