I pray, I plead, I ask, I need;
I talk, ask questions, murmur, make suggestions.

How many prayers begin with "I"?
How many prayers begin with "WHY"?
How many prayers go on and on?
With "I" the center, loud and strong!

Do we feel that we're not heard,
when "I" is every other word?
Do we feel so all alone?
That our prayers don't make it to His throne?

Could it be our prayers don't "fly",
because we seldom get past "I"?
We wonder if our prayers are heard,
When God can't get in one little word!

Do we think He's there at OUR command?
Just to hear our gripes and OUR demands?
Oh, children, children, that we are...
God is much, much more by far!

He listens and our prayers are heard,
He doesn't miss one little word!
But He LONGS to hear our voices raised
in words of WORSHIP and songs of PRAISE!

He LONGS to hear our prayers for OTHERS,
for ALL are our sisters and brothers.
He'll answer our needs, by and by,
when our prayers begin with "THEY", not "I".

Bonnie David
June 1992