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Thanksgiving Prayer

Prayer

Thyra Bjorn told the story of accompanying her pastor father one evening to the shack of a poverty-stricken old man. He was crippled with age and pain yet he offered them what hospitality he could and when they prayed together the old man’s face came alive as the agony of his present life gave way to radiant joy. Rather than asking anything of God the man thanked Him in detail for his shack his warm bed his visitors for everything that was a part of his seemingly cramped and limited existence. When he had finished Bjorn wrote “he looked as happy and contented as though he had no discomfort at all.”

On the way home through the dark could fall air Thyra’s father sighted the lamp being lit in their parsonage in the valley below and called his daughter’s attention to it. Then the thought struck the young girl that this too was what the old man in the cabin had seen: “He had seen his Father’s house and knew that he soon would be home. There would be no more sickness or pain or loneliness there and no more sorrow. And the light of prayer would lead him home.” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》

Humorous Prayer

A boy age six was invited by a friend to have dinner. When his friend’s family were all seated around the table the food was served. The young guest was puzzled and-with the frankness children are so well known for-asked “Don’t you say any prayer before you eat?” The host was embarrassed by the question and mumbled “No we don’t take time for that.” The boy was silent for a moment and then said “Oh I see you eat like my dog does. He just starts right in too.” ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》