|
This article was originally published in Edition (8) of Prayer Magazine, Oct-Dec 2006. Mal Pope is a Singer Song Writer with many years experience working with many well known Music stars. Mal has in recent years also been very involved in Television producing individuals projects as well as taking the starring role in his own series. Most recently Mal has also produced a musical which depicts the life of Evan Roberts of the 1904 Welsh Revival. Website www.malpope.com Email: mal@malpope.com
‘Gentle Jesus Meek and Mild Look upon a little child Pity my simplicity Suffer me to come to thee’
Probably one of my earliest memories is singing this prayer every night with my mother and older brother Gareth, first in English and then in Welsh. It’s a childish thing to do isn’t it? When I was a child I spoke like a child, prayed like a child, when I became a man I put away childish things. I learnt how to make up great big prayers that drew on my knowledge and experience of the world. Sometimes they had the air of one in the know. Telling the Almighty lots of things that might have escaped his attention, like what a wonderful world it was and aren’t there a lot of bad people running around on it. Other times my prayers became like Christmas wish lists. I’d heard that sometimes car parking spaces were there for the asking or that a slightly newer car would be all right to mention in-between asking for blessings on the poor and needy. In fact during so much of my prayer life God wouldn’t really have been able to say anything to me at all because I didn’t stop talking. I went on tour with Dr Tony Campolo and I noticed that before he spoke he would go off on his own. I asked him what he did and he said that he sat in the quiet for half an hour or so, quietly breathing, and asking God to love him. I thought I’d give it a try. When you’re working on the computer half an hour flies. When you sit quietly on your own, half an hour can seem like an eternity; especially when you can’t go talking all the time. So that’s where I am. I do occasional send up those ‘SOS’ type prayers when I’m late and need to catch a train, or when the car’s low on petrol and I’m sure they don’t go unheeded but maybe that childhood prayer says it all. (Gentle Jesus meek and mild) the one who never forces himself upon us. (Look upon this little child) I’m might look like a grown up but I’m still a little kid on the inside. (Pity my simplicity), I’m really not quite as smart as I’d like to think I am. (Suffer me to come to thee) to be in your presence is the one thing the world can never offer.
If you like this article, why not subscribe to Prayer Magazine - Click here to Subscribe {LINK : https://www.prayermagazine. Copyright Use - You can use and re-print this article if desired. However we require that you reference Prayer Magazine and the Author in the reproduction.
|
