WHILE TALKING to a schoolboy one day about a problem he had, I urged him to pray to God about it. “Do write a prayer out for me about that,” said he; “it is not mentioned in any of my prayer books, and I don’t know how to word a prayer unless it is written out or printed.”
I told him of a sailor who had been a very bad fellow, but God had changed his heart, and he became true and loyal servant of the Lord Jesus. Speaking of his difficulties the time of his conversion, the sailor said: “I tried to pray, and could only put together a few crooked sentences, but the Lord Jesus took and straightened them all out.”
My schoolboy friend seized the idea at once and said, “Anyway, I can pray the ‘crooked sentences,’ so I’ll be content to begin with them at first.”
I know that boy has never repented of his decision to use his own words in prayer. He now knows what it is, like Hannah, to “pour out his soul before the Lord,” and can say with Jonah, “My prayer came in unto Thee, into Thine holy temple!’
“The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Happy to live for Jesus,
Happy His Name to bear;
Happy because He saves me,
Happy within His care.
Happy to live to Jesus,
Happy to keep from sin;
Happy because obedient,
Happy some soul to win.
Happy to live with Jesus,
One day in Heavenly place;
Happy to sing His praises,
Happy to see His face.
Stand fast in the faith
ML-08/31/1969