Childlike Faith

       A Pastor friend of mine tells the story of the time his son and he were playing outdoors with a frisbee.  It was just dusk and the frisbee landed on the rooftop of the house.  Pulling a ladder from the garage and armed with a broom, the effort began to retrieve the frisbee.  As darkness fell, all hope seemed lost for the night, as the broom was about six inches short of reaching the frisbee.  

Retrieving the toy, the pastor decided, would have to wait till morning.  His son was horribly disappointed and gave many reasons why it should be rescued that evening. Patiently the dad explained, it just wouldn’t work, given they could no longer see well.  

The son, after watching during his growing up years, seeing his father’s belief in prayer, suggested praying for the answer.  Given his own belief system, the father agreed and allowed the boy to pray.  It was a simple prayer, just asking God to help them retrieve his favorite frisbee from the roof.  Just as soon as he finished, the boy’s face lit up and placing his young finger in the air said, “I’ve got it!  We need a longer broom!”

Going to the garage, sure enough, there was a longer broom, just the right length longer, about six inches.  Climbing the ladder once again, with the boy navigating from below, since darkness was now fully on, the pastor was totally able to whisk the frisbee off the roof with the extended ladder.

I think about all the times I’ve prayed and asked God for ‘something.’  I know without a single doubt God is all powerful, over all the earth and everything in it, including the whole universe.  Yet, after hearing the story of the boy and his frisbee, I wonder if the child’s understanding and faith in prayer isn’t stronger than my own!

We are told to come as children to Christ—-with child like faith!  As we grow into adults, we become just a touch jaded, and perhaps even cynical—even if not done so deliberately!

Prayer is a mighty tool when our motives and heart are in the right place.  (See James 4:3)  I wonder if we just become glib about our prayers and not believe with our whole heart that God has this incredible ability to answer our requests?  It’s true, God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we want.  Sometimes it’s because it’s totally the wrong thing for us and God has something better in mind.

Other times it is not only because our motives are off kilter, but our hearts aren’t right with Him. (See Jeremiah 29:12-13)  But sometimes we lack faith!  

James 1:6-8 also tells us if we doubt, God won’t answer.  That little boy didn’t doubt for a moment that God would somehow get that frisbee off the roof.  God didn’t provide a huge gust of wind to blow it off—-but he could have—-!  But he did provide an ‘idea’ that when followed through on, absolutely caused the frisbee to be retrieved.  

What are you asking God for today?  Have you made sure your heart is in the right place?  Are your motives pure?  Do you have the faith to see God make it happen?  Will you listen to see how God responds?  Will He provide a miracle? (Yes he can!)   Or is he asking you to do something (even something simple or small) that will precipitate the ‘miracle’ you need?  

God is still in the business of providing ‘miracles’.  Are you ready for an answer to prayer?

Photo Credit: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/little-boy-playing-frisbee-50708830