The hamster prayer

Several years ago there was a hamster who escaped. It waited (I’m sure this was a conspiracy) until Tracey was away and until I was really tired to make it’s great escape. One of my children came in to my room around 6am and said the hamster wasn’t in the cage and the hunt began. Eventually we worked out it was in the kitchen because we could hear it scrabbling (scratchy noises, not the game silly) about. We couldn’t work out where it was and so in a moment of what felt like brilliance I decided to google what will lure a hamster out. We tried some hamster food, a piece of carrot and even chocolate, but the hamster was nowhere to be seen. I was exhausted and was about to go back to bed as I was pretty sure that the Houdini (what I had decided to name him in that moment) had squeezed through a gap near one of the pipes to get outside. In a moment of actual brilliance, my son said ‘when you are in church you tell us to pray so will you pray’. I prayed a very religious prayer, it went something like ‘God, I’m really tired and need to sleep. Please can you make the hamster come out’. Within seconds Houdini appeared was scooped up and put back in his cage. I resisted the urge to glue the cage shut!

I wonder how God felt as we searched and googled without including him? Is it how he often feels in life as we try and live without him. Today, why not include God in your life, talk to him and listen for his guidance. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.