Prayers

 

What was the first prayer you memorized? Was it The Our Father or the Glory Be or a meal prayer? You can make up your own prayer, like the one I always say at the beginning of my sermon. Sometimes we learn a prayer by singing it, like “Jesus loves me, this I know.” I ask that question because prayer is found in all of our readings today.

Moses prayed for help and God helped him (Num 11:10-16, 24-29). Jesus tells us that when we are tempted to sin and hurt another person or ourselves (Matt 9:42ff.), we need to ask God to save us. James says that if we see someone who is sick or sinning, we need to pray for that person (James 5:13-20). And sometimes, as the Psalm reminds us, it’s good to sing God’s praises (Ps 104:27-35) because God is so good to everyone.

Last week, I went to the hospital to visit some people who were very sick. They could barely speak, but both could say the Our Father. They must have memorized it when they were your age and never forgot it. So, it’s good to memorize prayers and Bible verses because there are going to be times when no one can help you, but God can help you, and God saves you.

I’m going to be gone next Sunday and won’t have a children’s message for you. So, can you do me a favor? Between now and October 10^th, can you memorize a new prayer? Ask your parents or grandparents to help you memorize one of their favorite prayers, and when I am here in two weeks, you can say your new prayer out loud to me. With that, let us pray.

Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their fathers and mothers the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.