Pray like Stephanie

I realized this morning that my 2 year old prays in a way I did not teach her.

We have little “canned” prayers that we use just to get our girls in the habit of taking the time to pray. Prayers of thanksgiving for food, and before they go to bed. I will also pray with them for things like lost dolly shoes, hurt feelings, fear of that lion under the bed, and “owies”. At 2 and 4, I didn’t really think that they were old enough to understand the intangible concept of God, and that we were talking to Him.

Stephanie, my 2 year old proved me wrong. Recently, she has started praying all on her own for the things that are on her mind. She thanked God for her stuffed animals, her friends, and asked for His help to be kind to Sissy, and asked Him to give her popcorn. (I smiled too.)

This morning she looked at the pictures as we read and discussed our devotional (about the man who was healed at the pool of Bethesda). A short time later I heard her talking to Him about a pool and her band-aid. She hears His Word, and it drives her to respond to Him in prayer. In conversation. I just know God was smiling in pleasure over her plaintive sharing of her toddler world with Him.

Isn’t that what our prayer lives should be like? Ongoing communication as well as concentrated times of specific listening and responding to Him through His word. It was a great reminder to me to let His Word drive me to conversation with the Author.

What I was making complicated (understanding the intangible nature of God) Stephanie has made very simple. I am compelled to follow the example of a little girl in talking to her God about all of life, with complete trust and a forgone assumption that He hears and desires good for her.

What an awesome privilege we have to talk to the Almighty!

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