Faith of a Child

Everyone knows Bob. "Big Kid" Bob. "Jumping up and down with joy during worship" Bob. "Crazy VBS teacher" Bob . Cafe Fuego 's passionate about prayer Bob. Bob is so out there. He not only wears his heart on his sleeve...but his shirt, pants, shoes and socks too! Bob is pretty transparent about how he feels about God. It's obvious he loves and worships God. But I"m just learning how much Bob trusts and hopes in God's faithfulness.

Two weekends ago, I got concentrated doses of Bob at various Christian events. As always at spiritual gatherings, people kindly inquire about Lessa's health (my special needs daughter with very complicated GI issues) and prayers are often offered for her (which I always appreciate). That weekend, Bob was intercessing for Lessa over and over and over again. He & wife, Nancy, with Mark & Cyndy Lum huddled around me the evening of a worship conference to pray for Lessa and our family. The huddle scenario was repeated again the next day at church , except with Lessa in the middle surrounded by Bob and a number of prayer warriors. Then after second service, a few of us attended the Holy Discontent Workshop, where we all shared what we were passionate about. Bob shared from his heart how he wanted to see healing in our church and others to pray with the power of the Holy Spirit.

I was not surprised when he prayed for Lessa again at the workshop. However, what surprised me was that he asked Lessa to pray for him! Now, if you know Lessa, you know she doesn't speak verbally, she is developmentally delayed , and she is a child in the simplest sense of the word ... she totally trusts the adults in her life and she knows they will be there for her and take care of her needs. But she immediately nodded yes to pray for Bob and he knelt down at her wheelchair, and she put her hand on his head. Her daddy actually said the words , but I believe God heard the words in her heart for Bob. Bob wept.

What were her words? I have no idea. But I think that because of Lessa's simplicity, she is not surrounded by the doubts that "normal", world-savvy, logical, "let's consider the odds" adults often layer their prayers with. She believes what is prayed and she expects God to answer in some way in His time. In her child-like faith, she totally trusts in God to be there for her and to take care of her needs. I know He heard her prayers.

This weekend, Bob prayed for her again, and even asked Lessa to be one of his prayer warriors. I can look at this two ways. I can think "Oh , that's so nice of Bob to include Lessa." Or maybe I can expand my faith in God and actually expect some sort of answer to her prayer. Perhaps I can believe that God will answer a prayer from Lessa because she trusts in Him so simply and honestly. Perhaps I need to learn a thing or two about prayer from these kids...the big ones and the little ones!