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When my son, Jason, and daughter, Kayla, were young, we lived behind the church in a thirty-five foot travel trailer. I was the newly elected pastor of a fledging church in southern Louisiana. The cramped quarters were difficult but manageable. It rained frequently and the bugs and reptiles were friendlier that we preferred. Fortunately, our housing arrangement was temporary. On the positive side, the elementary school was immediately across the street where Jason attended the second grade and the church was only a few steps away. that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:3-6).
Each morning was a normal race with the clock to get Jason dressed, fed, and out the door for the short walk across the street. This morning was different—we encountered a crisis! Jason could not find his homework! You would think such small quarters would allow for better inventory of things, but the opposite seemed to be the case. Jason was diligent about preparing his homework and I was certain he had completed his assignments. We searched high and low, but the homework was not to be found. The clock continued to tick as we scurried about. Giving up, I suggested that he go to school without the homework and just explain the situation to his teacher. This was a terrifying thought to my eight-year-old. He described his teacher as a stern disciplinarian who punished any student who did not do his homework. She displayed a large paddle at the front of the classroom and appeared eager to use it. His tears convinced me that she was a taskmaster to be feared.
I wrapped my arms around Jason and pulled him close to my side as I tried to come to a solution. As I sat on the sofa, I stood him between my knees, looked him in the eyes, and asked, “Do you think Jesus can help us with this problem?” Without hesitation he nodded. I prayed a simple prayer and asked God to take care of the situation. After a reassuring hug, to my amazement the tears dried up and his worried look broke into a smile. With a few more encouraging words I assured him that God would work it out. He ran out the door as satisfied as he would have been if the homework was in his hands.
After he left I began to worry. What if the teacher scolded and embarrassed him in front of the class? What if she used the board of correction? My doubts motivated me to pray again, “God, bless my son today and show him what You can do. Let this be an experience he will never forget.”
I was working in the churchyard when the dismissal bell rang that afternoon. It was a noisy event as hundreds of kids spilled out of the classrooms celebrating the end of another school day. Above the chatter and clamor I heard a familiar voice shouting “Daddy! Daddy!” As I looked up from my work I saw Jason running across the street with excitement in his eyes. He shouted, “Guess what? God did a miracle for me today!” Honestly, I had forgotten about the morning crisis. I asked, “What are you talking about?” He said, “The homework! The teacher didn’t even ask for it! She always asks for homework!”
That night at church I overheard him testifying to one of the church members: “God did a miracle for me today!” My heart was filled with gratitude as I listened to him confidently explain to the brother what had happened. My son had experienced his own personal miracle! I have to confess that we both learned something that day. Jesus said,
“Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and
Teaching children to pray is a rudimentary principle to the transmission of faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Learning to pray is one of the most important skills a child can learn—the younger the better!
Rev. Gary G. Erickson is the General Sunday School Director for the United Pentecostal Church International. To contact him or view his articles and the various books he has written, go to www.thornsandcrowns.com
