What to Say
When we reached the top of the mountain and stepped out onto the bluff, I could finally feel that refreshing breeze - the one that I had been looking forward to ever since we started this hot hike. In the middle of the afternoon, the temperature soared passed the one hundred degree mark. Today the only breeze that could be felt in camp was from this bluff. So I closed my eyes and soaked it up.
"Wow, you can see everything from up here!" one small sweaty camper remarked with wide eyes.
"Over there," I pointed to the left, "you can see the road that leads to Camp Tahkodah." I then pointed right. "And over there is the horse bluff. See it?" The group of campers all nodded their heads.
"I see the mess hall!" One added. "And look at all the swimmers in the creek! Let's yell at them!" So we all yelled "Hellooooo!" at the top of our lungs and waved as the tiny bobbing heads in the water turned our way and yelled back.
When the campers fell silent, panting from the steep hike up to the bluff, I decided it would be a good time to bring God into the conversation. I was about to say something like, "Isn't it wonderful that God created all this for us?" or "What do you think God was feeling or thinking about when He made the world?" But just when I was going to open my mouth, a little voice spoke up.
"This is so beautiful. Do you think we can pray right now?"
My heart melted and a smile spread across my face. "I think that is an excellent idea. Would you like to start?"
"I would, but I don't really know what to say."
"What would you tell God if He were sitting right here with us on this bluff? Because He is right here with us. All the time."
He thought a moment. "Well, I would tell Him that He is beautiful and..."
I interrupted, "Now don't tell me; tell Him."
"God, I would like to tell you that you are beautiful, and that what you have made right here is really nice."
The next camper continued the prayer. "And thank you for making everything in the whole world just for us. You're awesome."
Everyone talked to God, not in that "prayer tone" that we often take on when we pray, but just in their casual childlike lingo. Once everyone had talked to Jesus, I finished the prayer. "And we thank you for all the colors of green that we see in these trees. From this point of view, it is just really cool. God, we love you."
"You know, you just said a prayer," I told the campers. "That's what praying is - just telling God what you would want Him to know if He were sitting right beside you. And when you think about it, He always is right beside you, so you can pray anytime anywhere. No fancy words or eloquent tone of voice. Just sharing your heart and listening in return."
The campers turned their attention to throwing rocks off the bluff and trying to get as close to the edge as possible without my noticing, but I did. I was sitting on a rock, just watching them, and thinking about what a valuable lesson I just learned about prayer.
No wonder Jesus loved children so much. Prayer must come with a childlike faith. It is a spontaneous response to beauty, a simple response of love and adoration.
"Wow, you can see everything from up here!" one small sweaty camper remarked with wide eyes.
"Over there," I pointed to the left, "you can see the road that leads to Camp Tahkodah." I then pointed right. "And over there is the horse bluff. See it?" The group of campers all nodded their heads.
"I see the mess hall!" One added. "And look at all the swimmers in the creek! Let's yell at them!" So we all yelled "Hellooooo!" at the top of our lungs and waved as the tiny bobbing heads in the water turned our way and yelled back.
When the campers fell silent, panting from the steep hike up to the bluff, I decided it would be a good time to bring God into the conversation. I was about to say something like, "Isn't it wonderful that God created all this for us?" or "What do you think God was feeling or thinking about when He made the world?" But just when I was going to open my mouth, a little voice spoke up.
"This is so beautiful. Do you think we can pray right now?"
My heart melted and a smile spread across my face. "I think that is an excellent idea. Would you like to start?"
"I would, but I don't really know what to say."
"What would you tell God if He were sitting right here with us on this bluff? Because He is right here with us. All the time."
He thought a moment. "Well, I would tell Him that He is beautiful and..."
I interrupted, "Now don't tell me; tell Him."
"God, I would like to tell you that you are beautiful, and that what you have made right here is really nice."
The next camper continued the prayer. "And thank you for making everything in the whole world just for us. You're awesome."
Everyone talked to God, not in that "prayer tone" that we often take on when we pray, but just in their casual childlike lingo. Once everyone had talked to Jesus, I finished the prayer. "And we thank you for all the colors of green that we see in these trees. From this point of view, it is just really cool. God, we love you."
"You know, you just said a prayer," I told the campers. "That's what praying is - just telling God what you would want Him to know if He were sitting right beside you. And when you think about it, He always is right beside you, so you can pray anytime anywhere. No fancy words or eloquent tone of voice. Just sharing your heart and listening in return."
The campers turned their attention to throwing rocks off the bluff and trying to get as close to the edge as possible without my noticing, but I did. I was sitting on a rock, just watching them, and thinking about what a valuable lesson I just learned about prayer.
No wonder Jesus loved children so much. Prayer must come with a childlike faith. It is a spontaneous response to beauty, a simple response of love and adoration.
Comments
Post a Comment