Sweet Hour of Prayer

There’s a great scene in the Lucy Maude Montgomery classic “Anne of Green Gables” where Marilla is teaching Anne how to pray after she and her brother Matthew have taken her in.

Marilla decided that Anne's religious training must be begun at once. Plainly there was no time to be lost.

"You must say your prayers while you are under my roof, Anne."

"I'd do anything to oblige you. But you'll have to tell me what to say for this once. After I get into bed I'll imagine out a real nice prayer to say always. I believe that it will be quite interesting, now that I come to think of it."

"Why, of course, if you want me to," assented Anne cheerfully.

"You must kneel down," said Marilla in embarrassment.

Anne knelt at Marilla's knee and looked up gravely. "Why must people kneel down to pray?" If I really wanted to pray I'll tell you what I'd do. I'd go out into a great big field all alone or into the deep, deep, woods, and I'd look up into the sky--up--up--up--into that lovely blue sky that looks as if there was no end to its blueness. And then I'd just FEEL a prayer. Well, I'm ready. What am I to say?"…

… "You're old enough to pray for yourself, Anne," she said finally. "Just thank God for your blessings and ask Him humbly for the things you want."

I’ve always chuckled at Marilla’s description of prayer. It reminds me a little of an old Flip Wilson quip… “Hey you all, I’m gonna pray now. Anybody want anything?” Unfortunately, things don’t always turn out the way we want.

"Just thank God for your blessings and ask Him humbly for the things you want.."

Sunday blessings... Rob; in Vancouver

“Our ordinary views of prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer as a means for getting something for ourselves; the Bible idea of prayer is that we may get to know God.” Oswald Chambers