FAMILY FAITH:

“T>he prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16, Holy Bible, New International Version).

I believe it is a testimony to our children when they catch us praying. This happens periodically at our home if the children get up earlier than usual. I often spend my mornings on my knees praying and reading the Bible. My children will walk in, and I always finish my prayer before addressing them (unless they are sick or some other emergency is present).

When I am praying, my children know to wait until I have finished. But last week I caught my daughter praying. For a Christian parent, it is an honor to witness your child praying. Here is how this event happened for me.

I was going into my children’s room to tuck them in one evening. I usually speak to them for a few minutes, pray, kiss and hug them and then tuck them under the covers. Well this particular night I went in and my youngest had her hands folded together, her eyes shut and head bowed. I respected her prayer time by not interrupting until she was finished. I then told her how special it was to see her pray. She felt comfortable enough to share some intimate details of her prayer life with me that night, and she said I could share them with you all.

She told me that she prays a special, identical prayer every night. She then explained to me how she thinks God receives them. She said that the prayers go up to God via a typewriter type of machine. God then reads them and they go into a special pile. Her vision was extensive, but to sum it up, she told me that when we see papers blowing in the wind, those are prayers that God has read that have blown off of the stacked pile.

I hugged my daughter and thanked her for sharing her very intimate thoughts on prayer with me, because we all have unique ways that we view things in life — and she certainly did not have to share her vision with me. I then told her I was writing on prayer this week, and she gave me permission to include part of her vision. She then told me, “I am glad that I inspired you,” which enabled me to explain to her that yes, when I write, God inspires the topic. Maybe it is something I have read, or a person I have spoken with, or something I have seen. But usually a life lesson inspires my writing.

Which leads me to this: We are all called to pray, and prayer is powerful. There are times in my life that I know I would not make it if not for the prayers of other saints. My daughter is a prayer warrior. Jesus Himself spent time in prayer alone: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).

As Christians, God calls us to pray: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasion with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18).

I pray your prayer life this week is rich, and that God puts it on the hearts of others to pray for you.

 The Rev. KIMBERLIE ZAKARIAN can be reached by e-mail at holyhouse9@gmail.com or by mail at Holy House Ministries c/o the Rev. Kimberlie Zakarian, La Vie Counseling Center, 650 Sierra Madre Villa, Suite 110, Pasadena, CA 91107.