Getting Wrecked by and for God—for GoodSample

Praying as a Precious Child

The call came late at night. I heard it by the third ring and grabbed the phone, my heart already pounding. It is somewhat unusual to receive a call after 10:00 p.m., but it was especially concerning when I saw it was from our youngest son, Cory, who lives in Chicago. He usually has to get up between four and five in the morning, so he goes to bed early.

“Don’t worry,” said my daughter-in-law, Jenna, calmly. “But Cory is in an ambulance on his way to the ER. His heart is doing funny things.” Not worry? This is a guy who is super healthy, eats right and trusts God’s healing power with strong faith. I knew it was serious if he agreed to an ambulance. My stomach knotted immediately.

What do most people do when a crisis hits? I am thankful we do not have to cajole God into answering or plead with Him to pity us and intervene. He is here. He is in us. We are in union with Him. Whenever the call comes or the crisis hits, I usually respond with fear first, faith second and worship last. I wish that were not true, but it is. We need fear no evil. But we do. The battles are real. We live in the clash and tension of two kingdoms—the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.

I wish I could tell you that I calmly went to “I will sing in the middle of the storm.” No, that would have to come a bit later. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit did well up within me with His prayer—that prayer in an unknown language—that gave me His words when I did not know how to pray in my fear and desperation. I wanted to lie back down and hope all was well. But I got out of bed and headed down to the sofa, since I now was fully awake.

I reminded myself that Jesus lives in me. We are in union. I pray in His name, and this is not a phrase I tag onto a prayer to perform some spiritual magic. I handed my fear to Him and asked Him for His healing, peace and Kingdom to come. I waited to sense His presence. Not easy. But He is faithful.

Ponder: How have you been frustrated with your prayer life? 

Prayer: Father, thank You for the privilege of prayer and Your patient persistence in teaching me to pray as Your precious child and not as a begging, desperate pagan.