[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Sunday, October 13, 2013

[Paul]

Hello to all my worldwide readers.  Well, that's probably an understatement, unless some of you forward these daily thought messages to far-flung areas like the islands of Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Ascension Island, the Azores and perhaps to more familiar places like San Francisco, Chicago, Edmonton Alberta Canada, Oslo Norway and a host of other places.  So I hope that your day is going well, whether it's about to end, begin or somewhere in the middle.

The author of this article is unnamed, but in reading through it, it sounds like it was written by a lady.  It's from a collection entitled "Stories For The Family's Heart," and the story in question is entitled "Innocent Petitions," rendered as follows:

When we lived in Reno, Rachel had a best friend named Kristin.  We moved to Portland only a few days before Rachel's first day of second grade.  Each night we talked about her new school and prayed together before she went to bed.  The night before school started, Rachel prayed that Jesus would give her a new best friend at this school and that her name would be Kristin.  I felt compelled to alter her prayer but decided to let it go.  How do I tell my child she shouldn't be so specific with God?

The next morning Rachel stood in front of the mirror while I combed her hair.  She seemed lost in thought, and then suddenly she announced to me that Jesus was going to give her a new best friend.  Her name would be Kristin, and she would have brown hair, just like the Kristin in Reno.

I quickly ran through all my mental notes on prayer.  What would be the best way to explain to this child that prayer is not telling God what we have in mind for Him to do, but rather seeking His mind? I tried a few flimsy sentences.  All fell flat.  She seemed undaunted.  I drove her to school still unable to find a way to protect her from her own prayer.  I was afraid she would experience a spiritual crisis when she arrived at school and found no brunette Kristin in her class.  What would that do to her innocent faith?

We entered the classroom, and Rachel found her name on her new desk.  She lifted the top and began to examine the contents.  I sat down at the desk next to hers and decided this would be a good time to explain how praying isn't like wishing.  It's not magic.  You can't ask God for something and expect it to materialize at your command.  She needed to be willing to accept whatever new friends God brought to her.

I was about to plunge in when, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the name of the student who would occupy the desk next to Rachel.  There, in bold black letters, was printed "Kristin."

I could barely speak.  "Rachel," I finally managed in a whisper, "look! There is a Kristin in your class.  And she's going to sit right next to you!"

The bell rang, and I practically staggered to the back of the classroom as the students began to come in.  Rachel sat up straight, folded her hands on her desk, and grinned confidently.

I glued my eyes to that door.  Four boys entered.  Then a girl with blonde hair who took a seat in the first row.  Two more boys, and then, there she was! She sauntered shyly to the "Kristin" desk, caught Rachel's welcoming grin, and returned the same.

I probably don't need to mention that she had brown hair down to her waist.

Or, that everything I needed to know about prayer I learned in second grade.

Ladies and gentlemen, I just had to share this article with you in light of something that happened before our church service started.

As some of you know, I've become good friends with a five-year-old girl named Desir`e.  Well, right out of the blue after saying good morning, she asked me if I miss my best friend? The way she asked it meant that she meant business in her little innocent mind.  I told her about Carol in East Pittsburgh and that I haven't spoken with her in over two months.  After briefly relating to her Carol's friendliness and her problems in a simplified way, Desir`e said very clearly:  "If God doesn't allow you to speak to her again, He will have someone just as close." It goes without saying that I practically cried.  Fortunately no one else was around to see this except this little lass.  I praise and thank God for her and her simple faith and wisdom.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Lord willing there will be another daily thought message for tomorrow.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul