My First Public Prayer I Never Prayed

The first day I was asked to pray in public was in elementary school in Ghana. I prayed so much that that day should never come. Why? I feared to make a public mistake. I prayed strongly that something should happen – maybe earth quake should occur so that we don’t show up in school.

My prayer was never answered by God but instead, something interesting happened.

I was initially asked to pray by Madam Cynthia. She used to call me Kwaku Otchere. She was a Social Studies teacher who stayed in the same compound house as we did.

Every part of the joint Wednesday worship service (for both elementary classes and high school) had progressed successfully and it was nearing my time to pray.

I feared praying not because I was a Christian who rebelled against God’s command for us to pray without ceasing (Thess.). It was purely an issue of not being a Christian and much more not knowing how to pray. Oh, yes, we said some things to God when we woke up but to say them in public would have been warfare.

Let me land on this story.

Just when I was about to open my mouth to pray, a classmate of mine, Seth (God bless him), started praying. What a relief. He saved me at the 11th hour without my permission.

Years on, I regularly stand in public to pray and even lead long prayers. It didn’t come as a result of growing in age but because I became a Christian and learnt the biblical way of praying. I have taught my 2-year old daughter to always pray before sleeping and before eating. At least her story will be different from mine.

The writer of Hebrews encourages to pray with the following words:

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

There is a need for us to learn how to pray in public so that we will not wish to die instead of praying to our maker. He is a prayer answering God.

What has been your own experience with prayer? Share with us to learn from it.