Why are you so legalistic about saying a prayer at each meal? This was a question that was asked of me recently.
Let me set the stage. I was at one of our finer eating establishments (McSomething) and my son had started eating before saying grace. So as a responsible parent I stopped him and told him that we had not yet thanked God for our meal. We then immediately said grace aloud and then we ate together as a family.
As I went for a refill of my drink a person confronted me with that very question and this is how I answered him.
Sir, I do not pray out of obligation to anyone or anything. Please understand, neither I, nor my son will go to hell if we do not say grace before a meal. I pray because I am truly thankful for the wonderful things in my life that God has blessed me with and I just want to say thank you to Him.
Not being satisfied he asked, but your son may not be thankful and yet you make him pray with you. I simply replied you are CORRECT. If I do not show my 5 year old son how to pray and that it is alright to pray anywhere and anytime, how will he learn. Will you, the government or public schools teach him. I further explained that I had a responsibility to train my son up in the ways of my savior Jesus Christ. So that when he grew up he would have a clear understanding of God and His will for his life.
So the man simply walked away frustrated and baffled, by our faith in the living God.
Keep your faith REAL, GOD IS!!!
Why are you so legalistic about saying a prayer at each meal? This was a question that was asked of me recently.
Let me set the stage. I was at one of our finer eating establishments (McSomething) and my son had started eating before saying grace. So as a responsible parent I stopped him and told him that we had not yet thanked God for our meal. We then immediately said grace aloud and then we ate together as a family.
As I went for a refill of my drink a person confronted me with that very question and this is how I answered him.
Sir, I do not pray out of obligation to anyone or anything. Please understand, neither I, nor my son will go to hell if we do not say grace before a meal. I pray because I am truly thankful for the wonderful things in my life that God has blessed me with and I just want to say thank you to Him.
Not being satisfied he asked, but your son may not be thankful and yet you make him pray with you. I simply replied you are CORRECT. If I do not show my 5 year old son how to pray and that it is alright to pray anywhere and anytime, how will he learn. Will you, the government or public schools teach him. I further explained that I had a responsibility to train my son up in the ways of my savior Jesus Christ. So that when he grew up he would have a clear understanding of God and His will for his life.
So the man simply walked away frustrated and baffled, by our faith in the living God.
Keep your faith REAL, GOD IS!!!
Saturday, 29. September 2007
Wow! I can’t believe you actually got all of that out. Way to go!
Hope all is well with you Mr. Diehl!
Keep on keeping it real!
B.
Monday, 1. October 2007
I would like to respond to your idea of prayer in public places. One thing I love about praying in public is that is it shows the unsaved that we are not emberassed of our Lord. It is a way to share our faith with others in that we don’t just profess to being Christian or Christ Followers in just the privacy of our own homes. It is a way to show our love for the Lord openly and for others to see us giving thanks to him and hopefully encourage them to ask questions and it also plants a seed.