10th August 2015

When an African Prays…

I’ve noticed this.
My Mother taught me.
My friend Annie does it.

They almost always start with, “Dankie Here …” thank you Lord. Or “My God, I thank you …”, these Africans and specifically the ‘Afrikaanse Africans’. This thing about gratitude and entering His place with ‘thank you’ on the lips and it lifts the eyes, the spirit eyes!

I’ve noticed that when sister-words like ‘IF YOU had…’ and ‘Could you not…?’ rolls out first thing like sisters Mary and Martha from Bethany said, I have to plant my feet in the soil like my Afrikaanse farming ancestors did and say, “Dankie Here!”, “thank you Lord.”

This morning I had to say, “Dankie Here vir, thank you Lord for #2379 rain stinging my cheeks, #2380 being alone, #2381 wind rushing and howling outside…” (I’m count-numbering my blessings.)

And I bent down to the story about the brother who died but was only sleeping and the two sisters, they said to Jesus, ‘If You had…’.

And then Jesus showed them, us, me, ‘Father I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me. And I knew that Thou hearest Me always…’*
He called and the dead-sleeping man came out and they unbound him.

Thank you Lord for #2384 your spirit in me calling Abba, Father.

Father!
Thank you!
For hearing me,
for ALWAYS hearing me.
Lazarus-Amanda!