God, Grannie, & the Grandson

reginald daniel

Susannah Wesley had a peculiar prayer closet. Her most frequent prayer place was sitting up with her apron pulled up over her head. With so many children and no alternative privacy, she simply retreated to the under-the-apron-sanctuary. And the kids learned not to disturb her during her quiet hour with God.

Moses and Elijah both prayed on mountain tops, Peter prayed on the housetop, Jonah prayed in the belly of a whale, Stephen prayed under a shower of rocks that were thrown to kill him, and Jesus prayed on a cross.

An electrician was performing some work in a church office while three preachers were discussing the subject of prayer. As he worked, he overheard them speaking about the proper physical posture for effective prayer.

"I believe that kneeling is the best posture for prayer," said the first clergyman.

The second disagreed, "No. I have found that standing upright with my arms and hands stretched up to heaven is the best posture to assume for prayer."

The third minister took issue with them both. "I think you are both wrong. I feel my prayers are getting through best when I lie prostrate on the floor."

At this point the electrician could not restrain himself any longer, "Fellows, the hardest, most earnest praying I've ever done was when I was hanging upside down from a telephone pole." God looks at the condition of the heart, not the place nor position of the body.

A certain Grannie used to go into the bathroom and sit on the "throne" as her chair and place of connection with the throne of Almighty God. Makes a lot of sense. Quiet, private, and disturbed only by an occasional sheer necessity.

The ole Grannie in this story did not realize that sometimes another family member would overhear her worship and intercession.

One of the over hearers was one of Grannie's grandsons. When Grannie thought no one was home or listening, she left the prayer room door open. Thus, the open door to her throne room and God's drew both intentional and accidental earfuls.

Grannie's young grandson would hear her worship and also hear her call names to God. One of the names she called was her grandson's name. I have interviewed the grandson. He says it was the single most impactful prayer event in his entire life. He said no other prayers affected him like those of Grannie's in her own special prayer closet.

As a matter of fact, when the grandson was 16 years old, and under tremendous conviction to get right with God, he actually knelt in Grannie's throne room and called on God. Without even thinking that this was Grannie's prayer place, the grandson simply asked for mercy. He did not turn his life over to God that night, but he prayed that God would not let him die nor the rapture happen until he got into a right relationship with Him. The grandson soon surrendered his heart to the Lord. Sorta gave new meaning to "the throne of mercy".

I am positive about the facts of this story. For you see, I am that grandson.

Thanks, Grannie. And God. wreggy