15: Praying (2)

“Our prayer times seem very static and a bit boring. I don’t want children to think that’s what talking to God is like! Help!!”

Jean Elliott, children’s worker, based in the West Midlands answers:

‘Hello Jesus,’ said Jessica, aged five, as she began the ‘end of the day prayer’ which she was saying on behalf of her class at school. I can’t remember how she continued, but her opening words have always stayed in my mind, for here was a child who knew that she could communicate confidently and naturally with God through Jesus her friend, without employing any complicated language. That, surely, should be our aim for every child we work with – that prayer should be a natural part of life because God created us to have fellowship with him because he loves us, he wants to help us and he wants us to get to know him better and better.

For some children it will be easier than others. Children need the freedom to communicate confidently and naturally with other members of their families, knowing that their contributions are valued. Such children will be in a better position to understand that God always listens and loves to hear his children talking to him.

Some children don’t feel that anyone listens to or values them and it will be a tremendous breakthrough for them to realise that God cares and is always ready to listen to whatever is on their minds.

You might find it helpful to get the children in your group to think about people they really enjoy talking with. Discuss with them different ways in which we communicate positively with one another, eg paying a compliment, asking a question, asking for help, sharing news, telling others what we’re worried about, saying sorry for something that’s happened, listening to other people as well as talking to them.

While we want children to treat prayer as a natural part of life we mustn't lose sight of the fact that prayer is also a tremendous privilege, and that God answers our prayers and works in situations in ways in which no person can.

'Hello Jesus' is a great opening because it reminds us that God gave his own son to bring us back to him, but sometimes a phrase describing what God is like is a good way to begin a time of talking to him. We should encourage children to think of words which describe God. Amazing! Brilliant! Creator!

The bigger our 'picture' of God, the more we will expect him to work, for we will know 'he can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine' (Ephesians 3:20). Young children are often much better than we adults at having a 'Big' picture of God, so let's encourage them and they are bound to encourage us. I remember a child losing a ring on a large and sandy beach during a beach mission activity. 'Let's ask God to help us find it,' suggested another child. The leader of the group prayed, but looked at all that sand and all those feet treading it down! Of course, the ring was found!

'Hands together and eyes closed' is something we still hear quite a lot and occasionally it isn't such a bad way to prepare to pray. However, it is far from the only way. Children need to be actively involved in prayer times, perhaps focusing on something visual rather than having their eyes closed.

Variety is important. The children need to know that prayer is something dynamic and exciting. The children with whom I work enjoy songs as a lead-in to their own prayers. Prayers with a lively, easy-to-remember response are usually more worthwhile than prayers where the children are asked to repeat every word and don't really need to think at all. Recently I was at a service where the children were asked to repeat a simple confession. Of course, they happily repeated the absolution as well!

Perhaps you could take your group on a short prayer walk, stopping at locations known to the children and praying for the people in those places. Perhaps they could make 'thank you' prayer flags or suggest the names of people they know who aren't well to be written on cut-out flower or fruit shapes and ask God to help them. Enjoy being creative in prayer.

'With sorry, please and thank you, there's such a lot to say.' So run the words of a familiar song about prayer. And it's true – there is! As well as using a variety of different approaches to prayer, let's make sure we cover different aspects. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray he included all the important points for us in the Lord's Prayer.

Take time to encourage the children to begin to listen in prayer too. In today's busy, noisy society this is something that we as adults find hard and children need help with too. It can be helpful to sing a gentle, prayerful song or to tell a familiar Bible story about Jesus in such a way that the children can imagine they are there.

Most of all, we want to help the children to grow up understanding that they can communicate with God wherever they are, whatever time of day or night, not just when they are in their groups with us. We want to help them to understand that they can 'pray... on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests' (Ephesians 6:I8). And may we ourselves never stop learning how to pray.

Scripture Union produces many books of prayers and about prayer. For group use, look at ‘One hundred and one ideas for creative prayers’ and ‘New ideas for creative prayers’ by Judith Merrell. (Judith has also contributed to several Tiddlywinks Big Books.)

To order go to our online bookshop. All books are also available by Mail Order while stocks last.