GROWING SEEDS: "Old Camel Knees"

When each of my siblings and I were born, Dad made a point to nickname us before we ever left the hospital.  My sister came out the nickname-winner when she, being the eldest, went home with the name Princess.  My brother, whose official name was James, went home with Eddie.  And I went home with....wait for it.....Softie.  ~ Sigh ~.  Evidently, I was this rolly-polly little fat baby and all Dad could think to nickname me was based on how soft those rolls of fat were when he held me.  I stayed embarrassed all through my teen years with this nickname and Dad still refers to me as Softie today.  But now....I wear it like a badge of pride!

I chuckled when I heard what the disciples nicknamed James, brother of Jesus.  Old Camel Knees.  Now there's a nickname you've got to be proud of!  Because he was a serious prayer warrior who had calloused knees from kneeling and praying so much, tradition suggests his best friends attached this term-of-endearment crazy cool name to him......and then let us in on it.

But what a reputation to have!  Knots on your knees because you prayed so much....if only we had such a reputation!  Throughout the short five chapters in the book of James, this no-nonsense disciple tells us over and over and over again to PRAY: 

"Listen to me.  You have not because you ASK not." (James 4:2-3)

"If you need wisdom, ASK our generous God and He will give it to you." (James 1:5)

"Come close to God and God will come close to you." (James 4:7)

"Are any of you suffering hardships?  You should PRAY." (James 5:13)

"The earnest PRAYER of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." (James 5:16)

There is an animal in South Africa called the gnu that whenever it is preparing to attack, it first gets down on its knees.  Getting its strength from that position, it springs from the kneeling position and attacks.  What a smart beast; and what an example!  It causes me to look at "Old Softie" here and ask if I have that same kind of effective prayer stance.

Oh what peace we often forfeit,
Oh what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.