Using the sturdy post as a support, she slowly and painfully
came to her knees. She looked at the point where she knelt and a
tear rolled down her cheek.
It had been forty-four years since she had made that silent
promise. Forty-four years of obedience and respect. Each night
she had knelt in the center of the main hallway of her home and
lifted her prayers to the Lord.
Sometimes they were prayers of Thanksgiving, sometimes they
were prayers of decision, sometimes they were prayers of
obedience because there was no understanding?but, mostly they
were just common prayers of praise and quiet thoughts between
friends.
As the tear passed her cheek and fell to the floor she softly
said, "Lord, you know I want to be in the middle of the hall,
but these old bones just won't let me leave the rail." She felt
the warm embrace of an old friend and though there was no one in
the room, she was not alone.
She opened her prayer in Thanksgiving; praising the Father for
the simple accomplishments of the present - like allowing her
arms to hold in place long enough to pin up her hair. And, she
praised Him for her health. And as always, she still offered Him
praise for protecting her family some forty years past, when
without a penny and no place to turn, He had kept her family
from losing their home.
As her knees began to stiffen and the pain ran down her legs,
her heart remembered the words of her husband, now gone more
than a year?
It was almost spring. There seemed to be a breath of newness
in everything. The mother of seven inhaled deeply each time she
pushed up a window and let fresh air in that room for the first
time in a long winter. She bounded from room to room?calling to
the kids to look out at the birds and blooming flowers. So
alive, so beautiful, and yet so heart broken.
It was that day that she and her husband walked slowly, hand
in hand, around the town that God had brought them to. It was in
that walk that they had decided to bring their family together
on their knees and pray for strength.
They were not going to tell the kids what was at risk. They
did not need to know about the actions the bank would take
tomorrow against their home. They just needed the children to
know that when in life you struggle, there is no better place to
be than with family, on your knees before the Lord.
It was only a prayer of a few sentences, yet it lasted for an
hour. The interruptions of the youngest children caused an
elongation of the effort - yet, the parents continued. First the
mother prayed, then the children who wanted to, then the father.
Each in different words, all with the same heart..." Lord,
please protect this family"?"Give us courage to do whatever you
desire"?"Your will be done".
He smiled at her. She smiled at him. Both were content with
their example of obedience. Both were proud of their beautiful
family. Then, moans and groans broke the moment. The teens
complained about the length of time they had been on the hard
wood floors. The Middle children questioned, "What is happening?
Mom, are you sick?" The moment was changed back to reality.
The soothing deep voice of her husband quieted the children.
His words were, "Mom and I are fine- nothing is wrong with this
family. And boys, the Lord suffered a huge amount of pain on the
cross for us, surely our knees can endure this out of respect
for Him."
Knees can endure?knees can endure?knees can endure?and then he
smiled at her, and she smiled at him as he faded away. Her
prayers continued. She praised the Lord for the warm weather and
the low heating bill. She praised the Lord for the health of her
friends. She gave thanks for the visits of her children and
grandchildren. Then she especially prayed for the new one on the
way. She chuckled to herself and said, "That will be twenty-
seven, Lord." She sighed with great satisfaction.
She was so wrapped up in her prayers that she hadn't heard the
door. Everyone knew she had an open door policy, but usually
they knocked. She was gently surprised as the warm touch of her
son sent shivers down her arm. He said, "I knew you would be
here."
"Where else would I be, son?" "No mom, I knew you would be on
your knees." With voice cracking and tears in his eyes, he said,
"Is it alright if I join you? I heard when you're struggling,
there's no better place to be than with family, on your knees
before the Lord."
Article Byline:
Rhonda Loucks lives with her husband and 7 children. Her writings are taken from every day life experiences and reflect the challenge and delight of trusting God through life's daily difficulties. See her writings at http://www.inobedience.com