Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Postponing the Amen

Nearly three-year-old Bethany climbed into her grandparent's bed to spend the night. Bethany's grandmother said, "We need to say our prayers." Little did she know what was on Bethany's prayer list. Grandmother and granddaughter bowed their heads and had a precious prayer time together. Grandmother said, "Amen" with enthusiasm, expecting granddaughter to follow suit. She didn't.

Instead, Bethany said, "We aren't done yet." So her grandmother prayed some more and said "Amen" again. Bethany repeated her first evaluation of the prayer and said, "We aren't done yet." Grandmothers never get tired of praying, but after this scenario repeated itself multiple times, Bethany's grandmother was scrambling to find something or someone else to pray for.

Finally, Bethany was satisfied enough to join her Grandmother's benediction and the "Amen" stuck.

Until Papaw came to bed.

The prayer meeting began all over again. Papaw prayed a good, hearty "Papaw prayer" and ended with a hefty, "Amen." He didn't know what Grandmaw knew. They weren't done yet.

Before the covers ever settled in a good night's sleep, every human, cow, horse, dog, crab and guinea pig on Bethany's heart was covered in prayer.

God speaks through tiny voices. Bethany's message is loud and clear. No matter how much praying we do, we aren't done yet.

"So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" (Exodus 33:11). That's what prayer is. A two-party conversation between friends. A conversation that should never end.

Crisp but Not Done,
Perry Crisp

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