I’ll admit right up front – I’m not a big country music fan. I know next-to-no contemporary country music. However, something happened last night which may pique my interest a little bit. The CMT Artists of the Year awards show was held in Nashville. Kane Brown, an artist receiving an award, used his acceptance speech to honor his drummer, Kenny Dixon, who very recently died in a car crash. Brown’s speech was touching and moved many in the audience to tears. Moments later another honoree, Thomas Rhett, moved by Brown’s appearance, asked the whole audience to stop and pray with him. “I don’t know if this is very conventional, but can I just pray? Really fast. Is that OK with everybody?” Then he proceeded to lead the audience in a brief prayer for the families of Brown and Dixon. It was so great. I didn’t see it live, but I wish I would’ve. (See it here: https://tasteofcountry.com/thomas-rhett-prays-kane-brown/). The social media reaction has been amazing. By far the best summation of the whole situation came from Reba McEntire, receiving the Artist of a Lifetime Award. She said, “It took guts for him to pray during a live television event. That’s what we need in this world, a little more God.”
Wow. What a great statement! What an event to witness – a public prayer, in the name of Jesus, involving a crowd of celebrities!
“Can I just pray?” Have you ever asked that? Life is a mess, the kids are sick, the bills are past due – can I just pray? There’s talk of divorce, the company’s downsizing – can I just pray? God answers that question with a resounding, “Yes! Please do!” Through the sacrifice of Jesus, His son, God opened an avenue for us to bring to Him our sorrow, our pain, our concerns, and our joy – and to do the same for others! We know 1st Thessalonians 5:17 says, “…pray constantly,” (CSB). But how often do we attempt to carry our own burdens or solve our own problems? How often do we hear prayer requests, or possibly even tell someone they’re in our prayers…and do nothing? (Ouch…guilty!) Paul tells the church in Philippi, in Philippians 1:3-4, “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer.” What an excellent model!
Can we just pray? Yes – God welcomes our struggle, our questions, our anger. He also asks us to help carry each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). So let’s take advantage of this remarkable gift. The truth is, what we absolutely do need in this world is a lot more God!