We are searching high and low today for some answer or magic bullet to trigger a return of this nation and world back to the days when God was known and honored more. Frustration in our great nation grows as we struggle with loss of respect in the world, crime in our streets and a severe moral decay in our society. David Housel, former Athletic Director at Auburn University has written a great book, 'FROM THE BACKBOOTH AT CHAPPY'S', wherein he remembers cherished times over his life and presents them in a way that draws similar memories out of the reader. All the stories are great and reflect David's great writing skills, but some reveal lessons from our past that are needed today more than ever.
On page 149 (softback edition) David addresses the issue of public prayer and how what so many are lamenting as gone was never really what prayer is meant to be. I agree and would go even further to guess words raised as prayer for the sake of ritual only actually challenges our spirituality.
The real revelation in the section, (Was I Wrong) is in the discussion of a call David received from a former student of David's mother, Mrs. Estelle Housel, a 4th grade teacher in David's beloved Gordo Elementary School. The caller told David he simply wanted to let him know how much he appreciated David's mother who had taught him in the 4th grade some 53 years ago. He told David how each day as the class lined up to go to lunch Mrs. Housel had them recite the prayer of King David from Psalms 19:14.
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.”
The caller relayed how over the 53 years those words had stuck with him through the good times and tough and he just wanted David to know how much his mother had meant to him.
Now I have a point I want to preserve and make. There is a tremendous lesson here as is all scripture we read, study and meditate on for any time. This simple one sentence prayer, repeated every day of the school year had made a 53 year, lasting impact on the man.
As simple as it is, Mrs. Estelle Housel planted a seed in every child they would carry for the rest of their lives.
There is One above all others.
He does knows the thoughts of our minds and the meditations of our hearts.
That when we are in him he gives us strength and redemption for our sins.
If over a 30 year career, Mrs. Housel taught 20 kids a year, she would have exposed 600 young people to these basic principles. I checked and the best I can determine is there are between 70,000 and 80,000 elementary schools in the United States today. Assuming there is an average of three 4th grade teachers in each school. If ½ of them (well over 150,000) each had this one verse recited daily how many of our future generation would at least have a seed planted. Using the same 20 students per year and teachers working only 20 years, 60 million children would be exposed to this valuable lesson.
My purpose for the rest of my life is to find 4th grade teachers willing to expose their charges to this one sentence for the time they have them. No formal prayer just a seed that God will grow on his own.
