My four year-old was deeply engrossed in some playtime with a favorite toy. He is a bit of a sentimental guy and as I walked through the room asked, “Mommy, who did give me this toy?” I told him it was from his grandparents that live in South Carolina. As soon as I said that, he bowed his head, closed his eyes and folded his hands in his traditional prayer posture. I was a bit confused until I heard him say, “Dear Nana and Papa, thank you for this toy. I love it so much.” Then he opened his eyes and went back to playing. It was one of those mothering moments when you aren’t sure if you should go document this act of sweetness in the baby book or sit your child down to explain how what he did was slightly blasphemous.
The more I thought about it, the more I was happy that thanking his grandparents for a toy fits into Josh’s concept of prayer. He loves his grandparents very much, he knows they are real and he speaks to them on the phone and through skype. He appreciates the gifts they send and he wants to communicate his thankfulness. I love that in his mind prayer could accomplish this, just like picking up the phone. I hope this is a good indication that he understands the reality of communication with God. Although Josh’s grandparents wouldn’t know about his thankful heart unless I told them, God does hear the sweet prayers Josh is learning to pray. I need to be harnessing this tender and trusting time in his life to help him grow his faith and his dependance on prayer in a way that will last him his life long. And I can learn from this, too! If I am to pray without ceasing, then some of my prayers ought to be simple and direct thank yous to God as my heart becomes aware of His goodness to me.