Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Prayer

We could spend a lot of time talking about prayer. Prayer is necessary. Prayer is commanded. Prayer is valuable. I could use a lot of scriptures to talk about it. In the end we will pray. We will pray badly or well. We will pray morning or night. We will pray for all kinds of things and all kinds of people. But we WILL pray.

We pray because we cannot help it. Things will happen that are beyond our understanding. We pray. It will not look like prayer but it is prayer. I saw a picture of a man looking at the rubble in Manhattan with tears in his eyes. I think he was praying. His eyes were open and he was praying. He was asking himself or God why this awful thing happened. I have seen people in hospitals standing in hallways or by beds with anger or pain in their eyes. I think they were praying. They were trying to have a dialogue with God about someone or something.

I have watched people in the assembly. I am sure they were praying. It was the expression on their face or their posture. Their eyes were not closed but I am sure they were praying. We pray when the confusion is too deep or we think God is silent. Maybe we hope that if we are quiet enough God’s voice can be heard. Maybe we think that if we yell loudly God will hear us. We pray.

It is useless to argue about the necessity or usefulness of prayer. People pray. People pray all the time. Believers pray. Unbelievers pray. Prayer is dialogue. It may sound like monologue but we talk to God hoping He will answer. And we expect an answer. We expect a dialogue.

Sometimes prayer is a question? Why? When? How long? Sometimes it is a proclamation. We believe: help our unbelief. Sometimes it is a paradox. We want to go but we are told to wait. (Acts 1:4-9) Sometimes it is an argument. Read Job or Psalms. It can be impatient or submissive. But it is still prayer.

What do you think prayer is? What does it look like? How does it sound? Hold that picture in your mind...and pray.

A.I.

No comments: