April 29, 2024

Yesterday in my sermon, I shared a story about a Little League baseball game where the grandfather of one of the players had a medical emergency during the game. Time-out was called in the game while people responded to the man needing attention. As the adults were taking care of the gentleman, one person caught a picture of something beautiful. A group of the players, who were ten years old or younger, gathered in a circle to pray for the man. My statement to my people was this: Wouldn’t it be great if OUR first response to the crises of life was to pray?
Instead of panicking and turning hard situations into catastrophes, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
Instead of living in fear or burying our heads in the sand, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
Instead of getting mad at God and pulling away from Him, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
Instead of wringing our hands and pacing the floor in worry, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
Instead of whining and complaining about our spouse, our kids, or other people, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
Instead of gossiping, criticizing, or taking shots at someone, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
Instead of leaving the church or leaving the faith when Christian people don’t act like they should, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
Instead of living in doubt, living in defeat, or settling for a half-hearted faith, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
Instead of carrying unbearable burdens, or dealing with heartbreaking losses all by ourselves, “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!”
Let prayer be our First Response, not our Last Resort. Let us learn the lesson that even children seem to know. “Lord, Teach Us to Pray!” That’s God’s Word for you today.