Out of the mouth of babes: Prayer

Classic moment at my class for 3-7 year olds last Sunday. We were explaining about Jesus clearing the Temple, and saying: "this is a house of prayer". My friend Tom, leading , asks a brilliant question: "What is prayer?"

Big smile (minus front teeth) from 7-year old Grace with an eager hand in the air. "It's the quickest way to get a message through to God"

Fabulous answer from left of field, which was meant as simply as it was said. And over coffee in the church lounge afterwards our conversation turned to the alternative. If prayer is the quickest way, what are some of the "less quick" ways we try. I could think of at least three:

• Rather than praying, I often talk to other people and share the issue, hoping that they will pray. Getting encouragement from Christian friends is no bad thing but all too often I substitute talking to others for prayer.
• Rather than praying I just worry over the issue, rolling the questions and possibilities round my mind, like throwing it in a tumble dryer. Yes, I have also shoved the gospel in there somewhere, in the hope that, as they whirl around together, then I will get a gospel perspective on things. But this isn't actually prayer is it...
• Rather than praying, I just try and fix it (hey, I'm a man!). That's not to say that there aren't things that can and do need to be just fixed straight away. But as a good friend at church says, we have to be spiritual in practical things, as well as practical in spiritual things. Just because I think I can fix it, doesn't mean to say that I shouldn't also be laying it before the Lord in prayer as I do.

Thanks Grace for a brilliant answer, and a timely reminder that I should always take the quickest route when I need to get a message through to God.