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10 Minutes Peace

    by Susan McGrath

"Voices Carry"
Date Posted: May 22, 2004

The house where I lived as a child was built in 1921 and owned and occupied by only one family before my parents bought it in the early 1970's. Many remnants of their lives remained tucked in corners and cabinets. One of my favorites as a child was a large floor radio from the 1930's.

It stood in the upstairs hallway and many times when my mother was ensconced in her sewing corner, or on a rainy afternoon, my brother and I would visit distant places via this mysterious, tube-filled antique cabinet.

The reason it was so fascinating was not that it contained pre-set buttons for major stations in our area, like WGN, WMAQ or KMOX (kings of the Midwest airwaves in the early twentieth century), or that it was as big as we were. The thing we thought was so cool was the variety of "bands" or channels it displayed, which included "Police" and "Overseas".

I don't remember that we ever had much luck with the police band, but the overseas was amazing to two grade school kids -- like the worldwide web of the 1970's!

It even listed exotic places we could tune to: Central America, Brazil, London, Paris, Rome, Japan. We delighted in turning through the languages we couldn't understand, trying to identify what they might be. It seemed like a direct connection to a huge, exciting world.

I hate to give away my age, but this was almost thirty years ago. There were no twenty-four hour news channels, no foreign language channels. We didn't even know anyone who spoke another language except for a couple of missionaries who came home on furlough and visited our church every couple of years.

What a different planet it is today! Over the last three decades the world has drawn closer together, from satellites to CNN, cell phones to surfing (with a keyboard rather than a surfboard).

I don't remember the last time I tried out the old radio. I thought it would be neat to show my kids when they were old enough to play with it, but somehow I don't think my seven-year-old would be as impressed with it as I was at his age.

Our world has come together on an information level, but not on many other levels. But communication is a place to start, anyway. It's also a place to start with God. He hears all our voices, whatever the language or need. The closer we are to him, the better and clearer our communication will be.

When we have a personal relationship with the Lord and support that through prayer, scripture study and fellowship we will not only be able to "hear" what the Lord wants, but understand. The language of his will can become our native language.

Isn't it wonderful that we have an open line to the Lord anytime? We don't have to waste time scanning for the right station or getting rid of static. We don't have to worry how many minutes we have left or wait until the weekend to connect.

Our voices carry clearly to God no matter where or when. And his blessings carry back to us!

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." -- Ephesians 6:18

During your ten minutes' peace this week, thank God for the opportunity and power of prayer.

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Biography Information:
Susan McGrath is:

a recovering journalist trying to encourage others and glorify God through writing;

living the small-town life with husband Tim and sons Lincoln, 12, and Sawyer, 6;

completing a few put-off writing projects while using chocolate for therapy.