The Alphabet Prayer

“Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.” Exodus 4 : 12

Good morning. I was deeply burdened to share you a message for which I searched a short story. Unbelievably, God allowed me to read this story and yes it conveys exactly what I wanted to share today. I bet you would be inspired by this story. Every child comes with the message if you carefully notice what they do. Here is the story for you.

A little shepherd boy was watching his sheep one Sunday morning and he heard the bells of the church ringing. And watching the people walk along the pasture where he was, he happened to think to himself, “I would like to communicate with God! But, what can I say to God?” He had never learned a prayer. So, on bended knee, he began to recite the alphabet. Repeating this prayer several times, a man passing by, heard the boy's voice and peaked through the bushes. He saw the young boy kneeling with folded hands, eyes closed, repeating the alphabet.

He interrupted the boy. “What are you doing, my little one?” he asked. The boy replied, “I was praying sir.” The man seemed surprised and said, “But why are you reciting the alphabet?” The boy explained, “I don't know any prayers, sir. But I want God to take care of me, and to help me care for my sheep. And so I thought, if I said all I knew, He could put the letters together into words, and He would know all that I want and should say!” The man smiled and said, “Bless your heart, God will!” And he went on to church knowing full well that he had heard the finest sermon he could possibly hear that day.

As I started working on Saturday and having an off on Monday, I get the whole day to spend in my room all alone. I feel so lonely for the entire day. I desire to spend time with God as much as I can. The same happened yesterday too. I thought of reading the Bible and praying for many things. All of a sudden, I took handful of spiritual books that would help me to pray and meditate more. You know what happened? I read and read them but never started praying.

I finally understood unless I start praying at least a few words in faith, reading thousands of books on prayers will never help me. And unless I start reading at least a few verses from the Holy Bible, reading thousands of books on Bible reading will never help me. Books do help, but they are just guides and not the alternatives. The Lord spoke to Moses, “I’ll put my words in your mouth.” The same God will give the right words in your mouth to pray, my friend. It’s the time for renewing ourselves in prayers and meditation and not the time for mere reading/listening to some books/audios and videos.

Maybe if we thought like that little boy and let God put together the letters, what we should want, and what we should say, things would probably work out a lot better than we planned!!!