Childhood vs. Adulthood

From the time I was seven until fourteen I went to Brownsmills Seventh-day Adventist Church when I visited my father in New Jersey.

After the congregational prayer we would sing, “Hear Our Prayer O Lord.”

Hear our prayer O Lord
Hear our prayer O Lord
Incline Thine ear to us
And grant us Thy peace
Amen



As a child I hated that song. It didn’t make any sense to me. Why would we ask God, even plead with Him to hear our prayers when we knew that He did. In the Bible it clearly says that God hears us when we pray. I had been taught from a very young age that Jesus loved me and loved to talk to me, and prayer was how I talked to Him. So, why would I plead with Jesus, after praying to Him, to hear me? It didn’t make any sense. I never sang those words at Brownsmills SDA Church. I refused to sing something I felt showed that I did not believe what God had already blatantly stated in His Word: He hears us.

Since that time I have been to many churches. And I have not been to one that sang “Hear Our Prayer O Lord” as the habitual post-prayer song. Until this past July. I am now twenty-three years old, married, and have moved into my first USA home. We attend the Cookeville Seventh-day Adventist Church. The first Sabbath we visited the church I was enjoying the service when I was caught off guard by the tune and words that the congregation sung after the prayer.

Hear our prayer O Lord
Hear our prayer O Lord
Incline Thine ear to us
And grant us Thy peace
Amen


As the music filled the church I smiled cynically as I recalled the sentiments I’d had as a youth.

I called my dad after church and said, “You’ll never guess what song we sing after prayer!” As a child I had explained to him my frustration and complete dislike for the song.



However, I noticed something has begun to change. I sing the song now. I hear my heart crying out to God in the words, “Hear my prayer O Lord, hear my prayer O Lord…” I ache to know that He hears me, that He listens to my voice and that I will have His peace. Sabbath after Sabbath I have now sung, “Incline Thy ear to me, and grant me Thy peace.”

And it makes me wonder. What is the difference between the child and the adult? Is it that now in my maturity I realize my lowly position and my need to prostrate myself before God so that He will turn His ear toward me? Is it because of the disappointments and struggles I have gone through spiritually that make me want to beg God to even hear my prayer?

In my heart I have questioned whether it is maturity that makes me sing these words or the loss of childlike faith and implicit trust which sang “Jesus loves me this I know.”



by: Beth-Anne