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My father told me the following story several years ago. He was in the Navy during the closing months of World War II. Still a teenager, he was at the crossroads of becoming his own man. He was searching for the meaning of life and the direction he should go to pursue happiness. He had many questions regarding his destiny and purpose. He began a serious study of the scriptures and the nature of deity. He learned that prayer was indeed a conduit to inspiration and personal revelation, so he often sought out privacy to get answers to his prayers. Once, he recounted to me that he wanted to find the privacy to pray vocally, but the barracks where he was temporarily housed offered no such convenience. As it was night, he slipped out of the barracks to find a place of solitude so that he might vocally pray to God above. He found a secluded spot on the edge of the compound next to the high wire fence and began to pray his heart out to God. He was deep into his pleas, when suddenly, a light fell upon him, illuminating the whole area around him. He panicked but stayed on his knees, lifting his gaze toward the heavens. He said, “I heard a heavenly voice from above declare, “What are you doing?” He shaded his face with uplifted hands and replied, “I’m praying!” There was a long silence, and then the reply came, “Oh! Carry on!” The guard tower light went out, and my father was left in the dark to continue his prayer.

But the interesting thing was that I remembered that story, not because it was funny, although we laughed when he was done. I remembered it because it said something about my Dad’s sincerity in wanting to communicate with Deity. He had gone the extra mile, demonstrating his faith in the importance of prayer.

Perhaps I should be grateful that I am provided daily with the opportunity to seek the Lord in private prayer. It’s a blessing I take for granted. Thanks, Dad, for teaching me the importance of seeking “the light above!”