My Story #48

Pastor Ronnie Wolfe

My First Public Prayer

I suppose I was somewhere around 14 years old when, for the first time, the pastor of our church called on me to pray at church. I had often thought what I would do if asked to pray in public, but I never once thought that I would be asked at my young age.

A million thoughts went through my head as I wondered what I would say when talking to my Lord in the presence of other people. I had never done that before except for a prayer of thanks at a meal.

In my shock, I quickly thought that it does not matter about the people around me but that I was to talk to the Lord about our worship to him in the Lord's house and a few other things.

As I bowed my head, with all heads bowed and eyes closed, I began to speak to the Lord, forgetting about the people around me. I actually enjoyed my short talk with the Lord, and I remember saying "In Jesus' name, Amen."

That was the first time. When I got home, in the afternoon I began to think about what had happened. Then I thought, "So, this is how it begins."

Every boy/man who prays in public had to start the same way. The first time is paramount, but the prayers come easier. I just hope that, after we have become accustomed to praying aloud, we do not take it for granted and just say words rather than to actually talk to the Lord.

We need prayer, both private and public, but we need for those prayers to be fervent prayer to God, not just a public, mundane bunch of words to please the crowd or simply to do a job.