“Hannah, come check this out,” I called from my room. I’d just listened and read the lyrics to Bieber’s song, “Pray,” and was surprisingly impressed. While it had all the naiveté of a sparkling teenage boy, it had some good words that I liked to hear: “I close my eyes and pray for the broken-hearted. I pray for the life not started. I pray for all the ones not breathing. I pray for all the souls in need…”
Why does he pray? Because he knows there are problems in this world that are too big for him to fix. Have you been there? Have you read the news or seen a situation or heard a sad story that breaks your heart for a world that is desperately in need of help… and realized you cannot do anything about it? I have. And as a girl who is still recovering from a superhero complex, this has brought me to my knees many times. I cannot stop abortion. I cannot end war. I cannot piece broken families back together. I cannot heal hearts. But God can. And I am on his side, and he hears his people when they call on him. So, I do what I can… I try to love like Jesus does, and I pray. And there is real power in that.
I think that when I get the urge to make a difference, change the world, and put a dent in the universe, it’s really God giving me a glimpse of his own heart. Sometimes he shows me ways I can be his hands and feet in making that happen, and other times he shows me that it is going to take much bigger hands and much stronger feet to accomplish his purpose... so it is time to pray. He’s been teaching me how to be bolder in my prayers, asking for things I can’t comprehend as truly possible, because he specializes in impossibilities – he loves to shock and surprise me!
During our girls’ talk last Wednesday, we talked about prayer, and it was cool to hear how and why the girls pray. They agreed that they know God listens and cares, so Pam said, “Let’s pray right now!” She asked the girls to name four things they wanted to pray for. #1: That they would get to see Justin Bieber’s movie. Ok, ok… we’ll give them that one ‘cause we love them… #2: That abortion would end. WOW! Yes. Let’s all be more bold in praying for that. #3: That divorce would end. Another bold request that would truly transform these kids and their peers. #4: For the people who are suffering in Haiti, Africa, and Burma. I am impressed that they are aware and concerned for those who are facing hard times around the world… though I know many of them have been there themselves.
Spontaneous prayer may be a new thing for the girls, but they embraced it. Heads bowed, hands folded or lifted, eyes closed, and I had the tremendous honor of praying for their requests aloud as they prayed in their hearts. How good it is to know and belong to a God who hears us anytime we talk to him, who responds to anything we bring before him, who is faithful to anyone who puts their trust in him!
...Now, to get those girls to the Justin Bieber movie!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
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