Bothering God

I have attached a short (well perhaps not that short) quote from an article entitled "Bothering God" by Barbara Brown Taylor written for the March 24-31, 1999 issue of The Christian Century. It is about her experience with her granddaughter. It is an excellent article and well worth looking the entire thing up.

Why do any of us keep wishing for things we know won't happen?
Why do we keep tossing the coins of our hearts' desires into pools of still water that swallow them up without a sound?
If I had been prepared, I might have said something inspired about the difference between wishing and prayer, but I was not prepared. When I talk to Madeline about prayer, I want to make sure I tell her the truth about what she can expect. I want to say something she can test for herself, about how God loves her and listens
to her, but in that case I will need a ready explanation
for why it does not always
seem so.
I think I will skip the usual stuff about how no is a valid answer to prayer. As true as that may be, it sounds stingy to me.



Copyright 1999 CHRISTIAN CENTURY. Reproduced by permission from the Mr 24-31 1999, p 356 issue of the CHRISTIAN CENTURY. Subscriptions: $49/year from P.O. Box 378, Mt. Morris, IL 61054. 1-800-208-4097

Christian Century 116 no 10 Mr 24-31 1999, p 356. ISSN: 0009-5281. Related Record Number: ATLA0000159516