We pray to a King

Dear Family,

I just gotta send a quick one out to you all to tell you about Fiji. Adventures and missionary work always happen here. I've kept that statement true.

 

On the plane ride here I sat next to a Kiribati woman. We started talking, and I asked her where she was going. She's going to Australia. I asked her why. She tells me she has a conference in Australia because she is a member of the BAHAI faith. I know I have told you about this religion before, but just a refresher..they believe in almost everything we do..but they don't believe that Jesus was the Christ, the One who Atoned for our sins..they believe that He was a good man, a prophet, just like Moses and Abraham. 

 

So I started a conversation about religion with her. And as it always seems to happen, I ended up doing a lot of listening. She told me doctrine after doctrine, fed by all the questions I had about their beliefs. At the end of my questions, I asked her if I could share a little bit about my faith. So we started with prayer. In the Bahai faith there are three prayers that you memorize: the short one, medium one, and long one. You have to choose one of them and recite it once a day. So I opened up my bible Dictionary and read about our definition of prayer. And I proposed the idea that we don't have to have a memorized prayer, that we can speak to our Father in Heaven the thoughts and words of our heart. She then told me this: "We say recited prayers because we believe in the Divinity of God. It's like we are talking to a King..if I were to talk to a King now, I wouldn't have the elloquence, the worthiness, to talk to a King..my words would be simple and I would stumble so I use the words of the memorized prayers written by prophets who act like the King's Counsel Man --  so I have a shortcut -- to feel closer to God.

 

And it hit me.

I have the privilege of believing that a poor, simple, nobody, can talk to a King.

 

We do believe in the divinity of God. We believe in His power, His mercy, His love, and that the earth is his footstool...and we do believe we can talk to Him. God, stands as our Father. As our provider and safe haven. And how grateful I have been for prayer.

 

I know this church is true.

I feel the truth of it as I share my Father's message.

 

Sure love you guys!

sister johnson