Praying for a Grouse Dinner

In second grade, Master E was the delight of the teachers. His childish joy lit up the front row and shined most brightly when he raised his hand and 'oo-oo-oo'd to answer a question. He was tender, eager, and responsive; always ready to venture a thoughtful answer. We loved it when the "eureka" effect happened -- the internal light bulb lit up his entire face and shined brightly from his blue eyes. He always dressed respectfully, his blond hair trimmed nicely, his face scrubbed to brilliance. He was our model Sunday School boy. We had no idea he was an unsaved child from an unsaved home.

During the parent open house this year, Master E's aunt stopped by and told us a little about him. He was the son of her sister and brother-in-law. They allowed her to bring E to church on Sundays, neither encouraging him nor discouraging him. But over the summer, E had begun developing an attitude of disinterest in church. Aunt wasn't sure that Master E would come to Sunday School. I asked her to tell him that Miss Johnson was really looking forward to seeing him -- to remind him that I had been his worship leader last year and would be in the 3rd grade this year. And then I prayed over the next week: Please bring him, Lord. God graciously answered our prayers. Master E came!

I can see that the childish joy of my little E has indeed waned, and so I make a special effort to let him know how glad I am to see him. Yet, I know my eagerness won't hold him forever. Last week, he missed Sunday School. I prayed all week, please bring him back, Lord. Again, God graciously answered my prayers. Master E came back.

"I missed you last week!" I told him after Sunday School. "Where were you?" He had been out hunting with his dad. At least he thought that's where he had been that Sunday. And he subsequently told me all about hunting fowl -- duck, pheasant, grouse. The big pockets in his dad's hunting jacket that store the dead fowl as well as their lunch. How the grouse flap their wings in a special way and ruffle out their tail feathers. How you scare them up. That you should shoot them in the leg or head, but the best place is in the lungs or the heart so you don't ruin the meat with the 100 balls of shot. That his mom fixes grouse with bacon.

"I've never had grouse with bacon. Actually, I've never even had grouse!" I told him. Master E thought a split second before responding, "Maybe we could have you over for a grouse dinner!" I told him I would love that. Just then his uncle came to pick him up.

I am praying for an invitation to a Grouse with Bacon Dinner. I am praying for the soon salvation of my happy hunter and his parents. Will you pray with me for the soul of my child?


And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them: I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?                      -- Luke 18:1-8

Establish Thou the Work of My Hands

Some years ago, as I was reading the Psalms, a verse jumped out at me, articulating a deep desire that had been rumbling within my heart. It was Psalm 71:18, "O God, forsake me not when I am old and grey headed until I have shown Thy strength unto this generation, and Thy power to everyone that is to come." My mother made a framed plaque for me with that verse. It sits on my desk and is the prayer of my heart as I work with my precious children, the downtown Bethlehem Baptist Class of 2021.

This week as I was praying for my children, I thought, "What do I have to offer the children spiritually?" There are so many truths I wish I could emulate before them, but I feel so inadequate, as though I were a wheel-chair bound child trying to teach other children how to run. Yet, mercifully, God has not called me to perfection before answering His call to ministry. There are a few things that I see God consistently building in my life that I long to pass along to my children. I want them to know and love God for who he is, to have joy-filled hearts that sing readily and eagerly to their God, and to need and depend on the Word of God even as the air they breathe. 

Tonight, during leader prayer time at our first night of Wednesday Kids Connection 2011/12, God gave me a special Word. Our team leader provided verses for us that we each chose at random. We would read the verse, then another leader would pray that verse for us. When I read my verse, tears came to my eyes and I almost had to stop reading for the emotion I felt. The verse was Isaiah 59:21.

" 'And as for me, this is my covenant with them,' say the LORD: 'My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,' says the LORD, 'from this time forth and forevermore.' "

Thank you, Almighty Gracious God, that your Word is faithful and true for me, for my children, and for my children's children. More than I had even thought to ask. Let me ask then for a thousand generations.