Mid-Year's Resolution

My dad told me this story and his new resolution based on it. I liked it so much that I've resolved the same...

My parents were visiting some friends' church in a different town this last Sunday.
The minister called all of the kids up to the front for the "children's Bible study" time, and apologized to them because he kept dabbing his chin with a kleenex. He told them that he had cut his chin earlier and hadn't been able to get it to stop bleeding.

One of the little kids piped up, "Did you ask Jesus to make it stop bleeding?"

The minister just smiled and shook his head. "No, I haven't done that yet."

Then he started his lesson.

My dad, sitting in the pew, had readied himself for a prayer for healing. He was surprised to see that minister just shake his head and continue on with the bible study.

That got him thinking...

Which got me thinking...

What did that teach those kids?

That it's nice to talk about taking our problems to Jesus, but we don't do that in real life? Or maybe we just take the big ones. Or the small ones.
Are we afraid that He might say "No"? And if He does, will that affect our faith in His ability to take care of us?

How often do we pray 'in theory?'

When someone says, "Can you please pray for me?" no one ever says, "Nope" or even, "Ooo, I'll try...if I remember." We smile, nod, and assure them that they will be in our prayers. But even those of us who hit our knees daily have forgotten at least one prayer promise to another person.

At least.

So, I've adopted my dad's new resolution:

When someone asks, "Can you please pray for me?" I will.

Right then and there.