Day Ten: The Threat of Prayer

Now I sit me down in school,
Where praying is against the rule;
For this great nation under God,
Finds public mention of Him quite odd.
Any prayer a class recites,
Now violates the Bill of Rights;
The law is specific, the law is precise;
Praying aloud is no longer nice;
Praying out loud in a public hall
Upsets believers in nothing-at-all.
In silence alone we can meditate,
And if God should be reached, well, that's great.
This rule, however, has one gimmick in it,
You have to be finished in less than a minute.
So all I ask is a minute of quiet,
And if I feel like praying, then maybe I'll try it.
If not, O Lord, this one plea I make:
Should I be knifed in school, my soul You'll take.

 

No one agrees who the anonymous student is who penned this poem, but the frustration of the poet is shared amongst its readers. How could something as benign and harmless as prayer be removed from schools? Because prayer is not innocuous, it's powerful. The name of Jesus, especially, makes people feel squirmy and uncomfortable. Why? The same reason: his name is dynamic, influential and authoritative! There would be no need to ban an impotent activity. Pray fervently, friends! Use the name of Jesus and be sincere. Watch how this millennia-strong exercise moves mountains and the hearts of kings! Catch a glimpse for yourself as to why it was even a topic of debate in the realm of education! If this claim is true...  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. James 5:15, I can understand the threat ;)