Spiritual Enthusiasm

            Our youngest daughter was about to deliver our sixth grandchild, so Kim and I headed out to spend time with the kids.  One evening the family sat down at the table for dinner.  Will, our grandson, decided that this was the point when he needed to go to the bathroom.

            The food was hot, and the plates were loaded.  Everybody was ready to pray for the evening meal, but our grandson was lingering in the other room.  Finally it was decided to pray without him. “Dear Jesus, thank you for this food,” began our Emily, or granddaughter, as she began to pray for our meal.  But that was all she could get out of her mouth before the prayer was interrupted.

            “Wait!” came the insistent voice from the little guy in the bathroom.  “I want to pray too.”  With that, our grandson re-emerged with a big grin on his face, as he returned to the table and grabbed hands with the nearest family member to his right and left.

            Wouldn’t it be great if every believer shared the same sense of enthusiasm to be a part of the prayer circle? Paul wrote, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving” Colossians 4:2). The clear encouragement of the New Testament is that pray should include thanksgiving as well as joy.  To the Philippian church, Paul wrote, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all” 

(Philippians 1:3-4).

            When was the last time you heard someone pray and wanted to yell, “wait, I want to pray too?” “Commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescues him, because He delights in him” (Psalm 22:8). Why should we rush to prayer? He wants to rescue you and be your deliverer. He delights in you and desires for you to be a part of his family. Grab hands with those on your right and your left. Take part in the joy of prayer.