Our youngest, Greg, sits on the deck, petting our cat, and said to me, “Mommy, I am going to pray that Sebastian has babies.” “Greg, he can’t have babies. He’s a boy.” “That’s ok. I’m going to pray, anyway.” My heart went out to him; four-year-olds don’t understand. I said, “Ok.”
I would try to prepare him for “reality,” later, but for now, he had faith. I prayed he would forget about his prayer as the days went by.
Living just out of town, from time to time, we ended up with strays, and with five kids, at least three of them thought it was a good idea to keep all of them. One day this homeless cat showed up. We fed her, and yes, SHE had a litter of kittens soon after her arrival. Greg was so happy! “God answered my prayers, Mommy.” I looked toward heaven, and all I could say was, “God, that wasn’t funny!” In my spirit, I felt a smile coming down. I smiled back, “Yes, He did, Greg. That’s wonderful.”
Greg just believed because he didn’t know any better, no doubt; and it worked! I had faith with doubt, Faith, without a doubt, is powerful.
I have a cute cartoon clipping of Dennis the Menace. It pictures his parents sitting in the front room, Dennis dressed in his pajamas, and holding his teddy bear is peeking around the corner and saying, “I’m going to say my prayers now. Does anybody need anything?”
There is a saying, “God said it, I believe it, that settles it!” We need that sort of faith. If we take God’s word, believe it, and are obedient to it, we could remove mountains and take down giants.
Children seem to have an uncomplicated faith that’s instinctive: Their sincerity, trust, and ingenuousness are precious to the Lord. We leave so much behind when we become adults. Trusting, pure faith is one.
Get in touch with your inner child.
Matthew 18:1-14 KJV
“At the same time, the disciples came unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever, therefore, shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And who shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”
“Never turn God’s facts into hopes or prayers, but simply use them as realities, and you will find them as powerful as you believe them.” Predendary H.W. Webb Peploe, who lived in the late 1800s.
I like that!
The takeaway: Pray in faith, believing. God may not answer your prayer the way you expect, but He will answer it in His way.
