Things are going wrong – we pray. Our marriage is breaking up – we pray. Our children are making poor choices – we pray. What is this teaching our children about prayer?

 A wise man said, “If the request is wrong, God says: ‘No.’ If the timing is wrong, God says: ‘Slow.’ If you are wrong, God says, ‘Grow.’ But if the request is right, the timing is right and you are right, God says: ‘Go!’”

His nightmares began each day when he woke. James Stegalls was 19 and in Vietnam. Though he carried a small Gideon New Testament in his shirt pocket, he couldn’t bring himself to read it. His friends were being killed around him, terror was building inside of him, and God seemed far away. His 20^th birthday passed, then his 21^st. He felt he couldn’t go on.

On 26 February 1968 he prayed for it all to end. Sure enough, his base was attacked during the day and James heard a rocket coming straight toward them. Three seconds to live, he told himself. A friend shoved him into a pit and they waited for the exposion that would kill them. The fuse malfunctioned. For 5 hours James lay in the pit. He reached for his New Testament and started reading in Matthew. “When I read Matthew 18:19-20, I somehow knew things would be all right,” he said.

Long after he returned home, he visited his wife’s grandmother, Mrs. Harris. She told him of a night years ago when she had awakened in terror. Knowing James was in Vietnam, she sensed he was in trouble. She began praying that God would spare his life. Unable to kneel because of arthritis, she lay flat on the floor, praying and reading her Bible all night. Just before dawn she read Matthew 18:19-20: “If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them.”

She immediately called her Sunday School teacher, who got out of bed and went to Mrs. Harris’ house where together they claimed the Lord’s promise as they prayed for James. Having told her story, Mrs. Harris opened her Bible to show James where she had marked the passage. In the margin were the words: “Jim, February 26, 1968.”

Do we believe God to answer our prayers? Do we teach our children this wonderful truth?

None of us are perfect as individuals – nor are our marriages perfect.  As we work together to maintain our love and a strong marriage, our homes will be a good environment for growing and happy children.