Question for you: What is the most often commanded commandment in all of the scriptures? – perhaps one of the most persistent themes in all of the revelations – Prayer! It is the commandment to pray.

Many years ago a couple went to see their spiritual leader. Their teenage son had left home one night and never returned. He had been gone for several weeks now. The parents were stricken with grief and came for help.

“Have you pleaded with the Lord to know where he is?” their leader asked.

They assured him that they had.

“Have you pleaded with all your strength?” he persisted.

“Yes, we have,” they said.

Still he pressed them, “Have you pleaded with every particle of your being?”

Well, they admitted that perhaps they had not prayed with quite that much intent.

“You go home and pray with every particle and strength of your being,” he said.

They said they would and they left his office. Six o’clock that night the phone rang. It was their son calling from several hundred miles away in Canada. Relieved, they visited with him and assured themselves that he was safe and in no danger. Then it occurred to them to ask why he had called at that particular time.

“The Bishop came over to my apartment this evening,” he said. “He had the strongest impression to have me call home, and said he would not leave until I did.”

Well, that story impressed me when I read it, and I felt inclined to share it with you. But there’s a second part to that story that makes it even more compelling.

In 1943, at the height of World War II, that spiritual leader I spoke of was just a boy. One Sunday just before Thanksgiving, he attended Church services with his older brother. Twice during the meetings the members of that ward were asked to not let that Thanksgiving pass without kneeling down as a family and thanking God for His goodness and their many blessings. Well, as Vaughn went home that night, there welled up in his little-boy heart a powerful overwhelming desire to follow that counsel and have family prayer. But that would take some doing. Mom was not a Church member and Dad was an alcoholic. Prayers were not said in their home.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – it consumed Vaughn’s thoughts. How could he get his family to have family prayer? Finally Thanksgiving Day arrived. Vaughn skipped breakfast that morning so that he would have a greater appetite. He and his brothers went outside and entertained themselves digging a hole, but as this hunger increased, so greater did his appetite for prayer. It was all he could think of. He wanted it more than the meal itself. But did he have the courage to ask?

At 2:30 that afternoon Mom called the family together. There spread before them was the sumptuous feast they had been waiting for. It was now or never. Vaughn’s heart felt about to burst. “Please,” he thought “won’t someone suggest that we have a family prayer?” But he couldn’t get the words to come out. He didn’t dare.

Now the food was being passed around the table, and plates were being filled. Vaughn looked at his older brother who had been in the same meeting, praying desperately that he would say something. Time was running out. And then – everyone began to eat, just like always. It was too late. His heart sank and despair filled his soul. In spite of a great hunger and wonderful food, he had no appetite. He didn’t want the food. He wanted to pray.

Well, then and there, Vaughn vowed that no son or daughter of his would ever want to pray and not be able to. Prayer became a bulwark to Vaughn Featherstone for the rest of his life.

Now my friends, in the New Testament Jesus gave two parables regarding prayer. The first was called ‘The friend at midnight,’ and the second was ‘The parable of the unjust judge.’ These are unique parables. They’re not parables of comparison, as usual. But they are powerful parables of contrast. God is more willing and eager to answer our prayers than often we are to ask. And further, we pray with all the energy of our soul not to change the will of God, but to change our spiritual position so that we may know the will of God. Maybe it’s time to pray.