Prayer: A Quick Cell Phone Call Home

While we’re talking about prayer, here’s something I learned recently…

My 10-year-old son did sleep-away camp for the first time this summer. Now sleep-away camps are a lot different today than they were when we were kids. At least his was. He was welcome—in fact, he was encouraged--to call us by cell phone at anytime. And I can’t tell you what a comfort it was when we dropped him off to know that he would be able to call me immediately if he had a problem.

What I discovered during the week he was away, however, was that I valued the cell phone for non-emergencies as well. I truly delighted in receiving any phone call from Connor, especially those in which he wasn’t relating a problem or asking for something. I loved hearing how he and his friends were negotiating this strange new world of camp, how they learned they could order a pizza and have the camp store split the bill four ways, how he enjoyed the big breakfasts, learned a new lacrosse move, won a game, etc. The very best calls were when he called just to say “hello.” It was great to hear in his voice that he was enjoying this opportunity his father and I had provided for him, that he was thinking of us and wanted us to know what was going on in his life.

I occurred to me that God loves to get the same kind of calls from us. “Hey, I’m doing OK today. I love the food (or fun or work or whatever) you provide. I’m learning some new stuff.” Afterall, He’s the one who said we now have the status of sons in His eyes, so much so that we can call Him “Abba, Father,” an affectionate term that means Daddy. He must long to hear the same stuff we as parents long to hear from our kids.

Remembering how I loved getting those calls from Connor that said pretty much nothing--remembering God as an interested and involved parent just waiting for a call-- has encouraged me to pray more throughout the day. Quick little prayers in which I don’t really say much except, “Hey Father. I’m thinking of you. Thanks for being here with me.” We don’t always need long, formal prayer times with detailed prayer lists and open Bibles at our sides. We just need to reach out to a Father who is waiting to hear any small tidbit from kids He loves.