The Prayers of Children

When I opened the webpage and saw that we won, I’ll be honest, I was amazed; my eyes grew teary.  It seems a little thing.  A week at camp.  My children had been fervently praying to win since they learned of the contest two weeks ago.  Each day my three sons prayed for it, wrote it in their prayer journals, and coached their two and four year old sisters in praying for it, too.  Oh, how they wanted that week.  And there was my name, plain as day, an answered prayer smiling out at me in simple black and white text. 

There is something about the prayers of children.  They take those verses so easily to heart, the same verses that we, the older, the jaded, struggle with, verses like:

“But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6b)

And-

“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” (Psalm 5:3)

How often do I truly pray with thanksgiving and expectation?

Who was surprised that we won? Just me.  Just the other adults.  But, the kids? Not at all.  Thrilled? Yes.  Surprised? No. Because they completely trust that their prayers are being heard and answered even as they’re spoken.  Would they have accepted a “no” answer from God. Yes.  But, they expected the “yes” and would have been surprised by the “no”.   Simple faith… faith like a child’s…,  Dear Lord, my prayer today.