This is a guest post from Kyle Holt of The New Parables and The Bible in Rhyme. From his blog: Each person is called to use the talents God gave us; to be a voice of one calling out in the desert, “Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for Him.”
I fall short in my prayer life. My wife says the same, as do a lot of my friends. Despite the fact that we are called to be in prayer constantly, it is a struggle setting aside time to speak to and listen to God. I feel like a poor example of a good prayer life. But I have a great mentor.
He’s not prideful. He is not vain. He is probably the happiest and most faithful person I know. However, he can be really, really selfish. But that can be excused, as he is only two years old. He is my son, Noah. One of the most beautiful and inspiring things about my son is that he reminds my wife and I to pray. At every mealtime he holds his little hands out to each side and says, “Prayers?” And he wants to make sure we say the right prayer, the one he is familiar with:
“God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food.”
We had Pastors Andrew and Nicole over for dinner one night, and I began saying a different prayer. Noah was having none of that. He started trying to interrupt me so that we made sure we said his prayer. It was important to him that he participate. And it was wonderful to see that prayer was important to my son so early in life.
At nap time and bedtime, Noah knows that after we read our third story, it’s time for prayers. So he stretches out his hands again, and we say a different prayer. It’s a modification of a prayer my parents taught me as a little boy.
“Dear God, we love You. Protect us. God bless Mommy and Daddy, little Noah, grandmas and grandpas, Uncle Bryce and Aunt Amanda, cousins and friends, and everyone in the whole wide world. And all the puppies. Amen!”
The ‘puppies’ part was imperative to him, and the Amen is always emphatic.
Christ tells us that we must be like little children when we come to him, and in my son I see how true this is. His faith is unwavering, unquestioning, unintentional, unrelenting, unshakable, and undeniable.
If my faith were but a mustard seed, I know I could move mountains. My son’s faith shakes the ground I walk on. If each adult I knew prayed with the fervent intensity that I see in my son, his little friend, or the masses of children I see at church, I guarantee this world would be a better place.
God, I ask that You help me pray like my son. That You forgive me for not giving You the time You deserve. And God, help me not forget those puppies too.
AMEN!
Rev. Andrew Conard 
One reply on “Guest Blog – Praying for a Better Prayer Life”
How sweet 🙂 One of the things I’ve learned over the years, is that every opportunity can be used for prayer. When you’re driving, you can say a little prayer for the person who comes too close to hitting you. Or when you’re doing dishes you can thank God for the little things like clean forks (a rarity in my house). Every little thing can be used for prayer, thanksgiving, etc. After a while it becomes second nature.
A friend of mine who is a former bishop, once told me that he prayed 12 hours a day, and yet felt that it wasn’t nearly enough, and was so humble and apologized for not praying more. He knew there was so much more he could pray for, and so much more time that he could devote to God, and it was just amazing to see.