One of my favorite things on Saturday mornings is to sit down in our Primary One class. Now if it’s been a little while since you have been to this classroom, it’s made up of our preschool through first-graders. The classroom is filled with so much energy and joy. Friends are celebrated as they walk through the door, and little giggles fill the room as activities begin.
In addition to the joy that this class exudes, there are a few things they really love. For example, this class really loves their snacks, and if for some reason you forget to pass them out, you will in fact be reminded. This class loves consistency. Every week when I ask for songs to sing together, it’s always the same three; even if you ask totally different kids, it’s always, “I’ve Got Peace Like a River,” “Jesus Loves Me,” and the one I always mess up on, “Jesus’ Love is Bubbling Over.”
For the past few months I have noticed something really beautiful that has been taking place when we pray together at the start of class. I usually start our time together with something like, “Does anyone have anything that they want to tell or ask Jesus?” As adults, this would usually be the time to share our praises and requests. However, as children who haven’t yet been overly influenced on how this portion of our prayer should go, it’s so fun to hear their responses, as they are not so much requests, but statements:
“I would like to tell Jesus thank you for loving me.”
“Jesus makes me feel happy.”
“Jesus gave me my house, family, and friends.”
When this first happened, my internal adult mindset thought, “They are doing this wrong.” I didn’t say anything; I just sat there as each child shared their response. However, after this happened a few more times, I stopped to think. Maybe there is no right or wrong way to do this opening prayer practice that we have adopted as adults. As each of the children recited their statements, that in itself was the prayer. Talking with you doesn’t require a narrative structure and three to five sentence paragraphs; it simply requires an open mind and willingness to share what is on your heart.
As an adult and, truthfully, as a pastor, I sometimes find myself overthinking and worried if my prayers are enough. “Are they elegant enough? Am I using the right structures or the best Bible verses? Will this touch the hearts of those around me?”
As I listen to the responses of those little children in front of me, those questions leave my mind, and only one question remains: “Am I thinking too much about what should be said versus what my heart really wants to say?”
There is something so beautiful about seeing you through the youngest of eyes. Seeing the preconditioned expectations gone and the simplicity of what the gospel is through their straightforward understandings.
So, this season my prayer goes a little like this.
Dear Jesus, help me see your love, grace, and abundance for me as each of our kiddos do. Let me have the ability to wholeheartedly understand that you are always with me and will always help me through my worries and stressors. Let me talk to you as a friend who is always willing to listen no matter how many times I may just say the same thing. Allow me to speak from an open mind and willingness to share what is on my heart. Jesus, let me see you like our kiddos do.
Elizabeth McDonald is entering her third year as children and family pastor here at the La Sierra University Church and loves an iced chai latte.