Bless Everyone

"God bless everyone. Amen." Grace ended the brief prayer in her usual way. When she opened her eyes, she saw a slight frown on her mother's face. "What do you mean when you say 'God bless everyone'? Exactly who is everyone?" asked Mom."Well," said Grace, "I mean Grandma, Micah, my friends, the missionaries, the homeless--everyone.""What do you want God to do for them?" asked Mom."Bless them," answered Grace. "You know--Grandma needs help with her eyes, and Micah's having trouble sleeping. Those kinds of things." She glanced at the clock. "I'd better hurry or I'll miss my bus!"After school, Grace and Mom went shopping. When a clerk asked if they needed help, Mom nodded. "My daughter needs…" She paused. "Some clothes.""Jeans?" asked the clerk. "Tops? Or a coat?"Mom shrugged. "Just something to wear." Grace stared at her mom. "I need jeans and a couple of tops too," Grace told the clerk. Soon she was busy trying things on in the fitting room."That was so embarrassing, Mom!" Grace said after they left the store. "Why didn't you tell the clerk what I needed? She must think we're weird!""It was just easier not to go into detail," Mom answered. Grace gave her mom a puzzled look, and Mom smiled at her. "When the clerk spoke to us, your quick 'God bless everyone' prayer came to my mind. I thought maybe my answer would show you that it's important to communicate clearly--both to people and to God.""But God already knows what I'm thinking," Grace contended."That's true," Mom said. "But He wants you to talk to Him and express your thoughts and feelings. Jesus gave His life for us so we could be in a close, loving relationship with Him. He wants to hear about your worries and troubles so that He can give you peace and let you know He cares. Besides, when you make specific requests, it helps you pay attention to how God answers. Then you can thank Him for specific things."Grace nodded her head thoughtfully. "I'm glad God cares about me and everyone else and listens to us when we pray. Maybe tonight I'll write some specific prayers down and keep track of how God responds!"–Nance E. Keyes