Praying Like a Kid

There’s another characteristic of a child’s conversations with his parent that I think Christ wants us to understand when we pray: persistence. When a child asks Dad for something, he is a broken record. He has a one-track mind. He just keeps on asking day and night.

Right now my son is focused on getting a pumpkin. He began asking in early September back when any pumpkin we bought would have rotted before Halloween. He asked to be taken to get a pumpkin when I was in the middle of cooking dinner on Saturday night. He asked at 7 am on Sunday morning when we were trying to get ready for church. He asked again last night when he was already in pajamas. He asked me to bring the car to his bus stop after school today so we can immediately rush to the farm stand. And this persistence will continue until we get the pumpkin. Then it will switch to “When can we carve my pumpkin? Can we do it right now?”

We don’t usually use that kind of persistence when it comes to talking to God. At least I don’t. For one thing, it seems almost rude. For another, I get distracted and forget what I’m praying about and start making a grocery list or loading the dishwasher. But I think God wants us to be persistent. Right after Christ taught the disciples the Lord’s Prayer, He posed a hypothetical: Suppose you go to your friend at midnight and ask for some food. At first your friend may say, “It’s late, don’t bother me.” But because of your boldness he will get up and give you all that you need. Christ then explained: So what I’m saying is this, ask and keep on asking, knock and keep on knocking ( Luke 11:5-9.) His point really couldn’t be more obvious, could it? But just in case we missed it, Jesus made it again in Luke 18. He told the disciples a parable “to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Read the story in Luke 18:1-8.)

Think about Abraham, arguing with God about destroying Sodom. He bargained with God a full six rounds. And this did not anger God. Each time, God granted his request. (I think if I had been in God's shoes I might have said, “You know Abraham, not only am I going to destroy Sodom but I think I’m going to destroy you along with it!”) Think of Jacob wrestling with God: “I will not let you go until you bless me.” Think of Moses constantly going to God and saying, “I can’t deal with these people. You deal with them.” The examples we have in the “Bible greats” are of boldness in approaching God, boldness almost to the point of audacity.

Now this idea of persistence can get me down. It sounds too burdensome. I don’t have enough time to pray and keep on praying, right? But when I begin to feel this way, I’m going to think of Connor and his pumpkin. It is no burden to him to constantly ask me for a pumpkin. He is not sitting in school today thinking, “How can I work in enough time to ask Mom for a pumpkin today? I’ll set aside 20 minutes between play and homework. I’ll vow to do it every day. I’ll sit her down and get real serious. I’ll start a pumpkin journal. I’ll get on my hands and knees and beg for a pumpkin.” No. He’ll just blow in the door this afternoon, taking it for granted that I am glad to see him and ask for a pumpkin. He has every confidence that I will take him to get a pumpkin when I judge the time is right. And you know what? I will.

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most High Place...let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith...." Hebrews 10:19-22.