Dear God ....

October 21, 2014

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

While visiting the website beliefnet.com the other day, I found these actual prayers to God, written by children:

“Dear God, Please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter.  There is nothing good in there now.” 

“Dear God, I want to be just like my Daddy when I get big but not with so much hair all over.”  - Sam

“Dear God, Are you a ninja?  Is that why I can’t see you?”  - Jacob

“Dear God, If you watch in church on Sunday, I will show you my new shoes.” 

“Dear God, If you let the dinosaur not go extinct, we would not have a country.  You did the right thing.” 

“Dear Jesus, Please don’t come back before the next Cars movie.”  - Stevie

I chuckled at most of them.  They were poignant and humorous, revealing a bit of what it means to have a child-like faith.  But sprinkled among the laughs were prayers like this: 

“Dear God, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don’t you just keep the ones you have now?”  - Jane

I like Jane’s prayer for its honesty, and its ability to capture our own sense of powerlessness in the face of suffering and grief.  We might imagine more prayers like this one, written by children throughout the world, facing various degrees of tragedy and trauma. 

Dear God, please keep my family from being so hungry all the time … Dear God, please help my parents find a job …  Dear God, please stop the bombs from dropping on our neighborhood …  Dear God, I’m afraid of the guns that might be in my school …  Dear God, please help me be free of this slavery …  Dear God, please stop them from hurting me again …  Dear God, please cure my family of Ebola …  Dear God, help me see my next birthday.

If you listen carefully, you can hear these prayers.  They are lifted straight from the headlines of newspapers and newsfeeds.  They are on the faces of children you see near and far, from Cherokee streets to TV screens.  And they are praying for a chance to forge they future they deserve.

It is to this end that the non-profit Children’s Defense Fund was established forty years ago, in the context of the Civil Rights movement and the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Current president Marian Wright Edelman serves as its chief spokesperson, advocating for the rights of children in this country and beyond, and raising awareness and imploring justice for millions of voiceless children around the world. 

Each year, the United Methodist Women encourage every United Methodist congregation to host a “Children’s Sabbath” worship service, and I am proud that such a service has a long-standing tradition here in St. Paul’s.  This Sunday, I invite you to join us as our very own children lead us with music, readings, and preaching, and to join with the prayers of kids lifting their deepest longing heavenward. 

We are also inviting you to bring non-perishable food items starting this Sunday, and throughout the weeks in November, as part of our annual food drive for our local food pantries.  The Children’s Sabbath has consistently been a highlight of our year together, and you won’t want to miss this inspiring, challenging, and poignant time together.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey 

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega

St. Paul's United Methodist Church

531 W. Main St.

Cherokee, IA  51012

Ph:  712-225-3955

Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org