Pipeline to God

Several years ago, before I had to go to work at a real job, I wrote poetry to earn extra money. Yep, poetry. And I'm talking the real old-fashioned rhyming kind of poetry. I met an incredible artist, and we formed our own company called Happy Endings. I wrote the poems, and Becky did the artwork. We traveled to gift shows around the country and sold our prints. But then I got divorced and had to get a real job with real benefits that paid me real money. Our art/poetry venture sure was fun while it lasted, though ... a ton of fun. People have often asked me what my favorite print was that Becky and I created, and I don't know that I have a true favorite. One in particular, though, seems to cross my mind quite a bit lately for some reason ... one about children praying.

If you've never had the blessing of listening to a kid pray, you have no idea what you're missing out on. I remember lots of prayers by my three children ranging from the very serious "God, please make my friend be well and don't let him die," to the somewhat silly "God, please make Mom say we can have another dog." And in case I never told the three of you, kiddos, some of my sweetest memories with each of you come from times of listening to you pray ... times spent kneeling by the side of your bed with you or stretched out next to you as you snuggled in for the night and said your prayers before drifting off to sleep.

I've often thought that kids have a pipeline to God ... their innocent hearts, sweet spirits and unconditional love seem to usher them directly into His presence. It's almost as if they are never far from Him, unlike many of us older folks who are jaded by life and often too busy to have that ever open, always flowing pipeline to the Father. Sometimes I wonder if children are closer to God because they aren't as far away from Him knitting them together in their mothers' wombs ... closer to His life-giving touch than those of us who have been on the journey of life for a long while.

A few days ago, I was blessed to hear the prayer of a child ... a precious and sweet prayer ... a prayer before our meal that touched the depths of my soul. As she thanked God for my dogs that I have now and for all the dogs I've ever had, I smiled at the pure and complete innocence in her words. As she thanked God for me and said that I was a blessing, my eyes immediately filled with tears ... I sure don't feel like I'm a blessing to anyone right now, and her words of thankfulness to our Father humbled me. As she closed her prayer, I understood that she was the blessing ... God has used her to bless me over and over again. And I knew that He heard her words, because I know that she's got a pipeline ... a pipeline to God.

Thank you, Lord, for children who pray ... my own children and the children whom others graciously share with me. Thank you, Lord, for children who love You, for children who know You, for children who listen to You, for children who are blessings to me and many others ... for children who pray, for children who have a pipeline to You.