People can be a bit confused about prayer. But in reality, it’s very simple. Prayer is how we communicate with God. It’s simply speaking – and speaking simply – with God. Sharing our thoughts and feelings if you like!We can’t see Him, but he’s there, and always listening to the desires of our hearts. Because He’s our heavenly father – just like a father, he loves his kids to share with Him; confide in Him; tell Him our secret aspirations. We can ask Him for stuff for ourselves – and that’s okay. Just like the small boy who was attending church with his parents in Kentucky. During the service the boy was behaving badly – boisterous, defiant and disruptive. Finally his irate father picked him up bodily, slung him under his arm and began marching out of the church. No one took much notice, until the child captured everyone’s attention by crying out in a charming Southern accent: “y’all pray for me now!” However, the prayers God is especially fond of are those we pray for other people. These are the ones that really get his motor running. Case in point: Dr Helen Roseveare, while working as a medical missionary in Africa, once shared that a mother at her mission hospital died after giving birth to a premature baby. “We tried to improvise an incubator to keep the infant alive,” she said. “But the only hot water bottle we had was beyond repair. So we asked the children of the mission to pray for the baby – and for her sister.“One of the little girls then prayed. ‘Dear God,’ she said, ‘please send a hot water bottle today. Tomorrow will be too late, because by then the baby will be dead. And, dear Lord, send a doll for the baby’s sister – so she won’t feel so lonely.“What a beautiful, selfless prayer. “That very afternoon a large parcel arrived from England. The children watched excitedly as we opened it. Much to their surprise, under some clothing was a hot water bottle! Immediately the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to dig deeper, exclaiming, ‘if God sent that, I’m sure He also sent a doll!’ And she was right! God had known in advance of that child’s sincere requests, and five months earlier, He had led a ladies’ group in the UK to include both the hot water bottle – and the doll – in that parcel, sent with love all that way.” On Friday this week, Christians around the world, across oceans and time-zones, will be praying for the island nation of Vanuatu. This focus on prayer is now known as the World Day of Prayer and stemmed from an initiative by women in Canada and the US in the late 19th century to support involvement in mission across the world. It’s now an ecumenical movement that’s having a profound effect upon all who participate – and those whose needs are targeted. Check out your local church this week with a view to participating in a service. You’ll be excited to see the blessings flow.



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