Prayer Takes Time

If you go out to eat with me, your food will not get cold if I pray.  When asking a guest to pray for our meal, my father made it a habit to ask if they were current in their prayer life before they prayed.  My dad was of the opinion that one should not make up for lost time in their prayer life at the expense of others.  In other words, you should be current.

To stay current some folks will just try to convince the world that they are always praying.   There is a constant flurry of "zap" prayers going heavenward at all hours of the day.  There is little intention or aim.  It is more like impulses or reactor prayers that are supposed to energize the relationship with God as well as solve all of earth's problems as well.  This view pretty much waters down everything about prayer and its vital relationship.

On the other hand there are those who will make a ritual out of everything.  Prayers are to be said at a certain time in a certain posture and in a certain language.  To overhear a prayer from this person would be meaningless for most as it makes no sense most of the time even to the person practicing it.  This practice pretty much weighs down prayer and probably God as well.

Prayer is best understood as a relationship that is vibrant and dynamic.  It's language and posture is as normal as any other relationship in one's life.  There are times when prayer stops us cold in our tracks.  Other times prayer moves us quickly along.  Sometimes one knows exactly what to say.  Then there are days, nights, and weeks where there are no words.  We just listen.

People who practice prayer are much more closer to God than those who just talk about prayer.  People who talk about prayer will use language like, "I will be thinking about you".  The P word is way too frightening to say and to hear!  People who practice prayer will be moved to pray for a stranger or a friend.  People who talk about prayer just talk about how strange other people are.  They are glad they are not that strange.  Or are they?

As I have learned and practiced the life of prayer, I find it easier to pray more.  Most of the time anyway.  Did you know that sometimes preachers do not feel like praying.  It's okay.  Feelings come and go.  Relationships stay.  Maybe that is why when God tells Moses who God is in Exodus, the answer is " I Am Who I Am".  Am is a form of the word, be.  Maybe God was at that point inviting us to constantly BE with God.  Be with God!

Prayer takes time.  You have to BE willing to invest that time.  Without it, you do not have a prayer.

Pray for me as I pray for you.