Toddler Prayers

     Last night, Lincoln chose his momma to take him up to bed. Darla carried our toddler around the room, giving kisses and hugs to everyone. (bedtime is a big deal in our house)
     After completing the necessary formalities, Darla carried our tired little bug up to his room. She laid him in his bed, surrounded him with his favorite stuffed animals and covered him in his blanket.
    "Lincoln, do you want to say a goodnight prayer?"
     "Ya!"
     "OK, you say what I say . . . Dear Jesus,"
     "Dee Gigi. . ."
     "Thank you for my nice warm bed . . ."
     "NO!"
     "Amen."
     "Memen"
     You see, our rambunctious little guy revels in the pageantry surrounding bedtime. He loves reading books with mom and dad and watching his super simple songs on YouTube. He is fond of kissing and hugging everyone in the house, waving goodbye, and blowing kisses to his toys and the Christmas tree. But Lincoln does not like going to bed.
   One of the things that I have learned praying alongside children is that our prayers must be true. If they are nothing else, they must be at least honest.

  The Creator who formed you in your mother's womb knows your heart. It is folly to pray these grandiose facades, trying to convince God and yourself that you are really happy, or grateful, or generous.
     I sincerely believe that God prefers our honest and ugly prayers to the polished, doctrinally impressive prayers we are tempted to pray. And I have seen how raw, simple, true prayers invite the healing presence of a loving heavenly Father like nothing else.
     God, I don't know if you are even there, but I need you . . .
     Jesus, I feel totally alone here. Did you abandon me?
     Lord, why did you let them do that to me? . . .
     The theologian in me wants to correct the content of such prayers.  But I firmly believe that God values honest prayers over the theologically correct (and deceitful) ones.  What are the true prayers you are afraid to pray? God can handle your honesty.

And the truth of His goodness will be seen in time.

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John 4:23-24