The 40 days that make up the season of Lent is the time in which we intentionally look at our spiritual disciplines and make adjustments to our lives so that we grow closer to God. As the season of Lent comes to an end, we reflect on a final spiritual discipline (for now) - prayer.
My favorite moment involving prayer takes place a few years ago while I was helping to lead Vacation Bible School. The volunteers and children were sitting down getting ready to eat our snack and the time came for us to pray. The person leading the snack station instructs us all to fold our hands, close our eyes, and open our hearts so we can pray. She started off by saying, “our Father.” All throughout the room, children automatically said, “who art in heaven.” The adults involuntarily laughed because we knew that was not the intended direction for our prayer together. The children fell silent and our prayer leader kept going, thanking God for the food and our time together. By the time we said Amen, many of us had forgotten the moment.
All moments of prayer are beautiful, especially when children’s voices are involved. But this one moment was different. These children were so immersed in how Jesus taught us to pray that starting a prayer with the words “our Father” could follow with nothing other than the words of the prayer Jesus taught us- the prayer we have come to call “The Lord’s Prayer”. These children, who always say, “I don’t know how to pray” did, in fact, know exactly how to pray. And they knew how to pray better than anyone else in the room.
When leading Youth I always have and I always will conclude our lesson with the question, “what do we have to pray for this week?” After giving space for those in the room to lift up their joys and concerns, I always ask if anyone wants to lead us in prayer. I typically get no for an answer. Until one day, someone said yes for the first time. They usually give the disclaimer that they weren’t going to remember everything that was lifted up, and that it wasn’t going to be long and extravagant. I told them however they talked to God that day, would be perfect. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear those words myself. I didn’t realize I had forgotten how to pray.
We as Christians talk about prayer constantly. We encourage each other to pray without ceasing. We encourage each other to pray so that our worries will be no more. We encourage each other to pray so that God can hear clearly what we want him to do for us. And every now and then, we encourage each other to give thanks to God for all that we have been given in prayer.
Paul tells us it is a time when we have to talk to God about anything we want; to ask for anything we need; to give thanks for everything we have; to listen for what God wants us to do; and to receive peace. The words of God through the prophet Jeremiah tell us that God is always listening; always there, ready and waiting for us. For God knows what he was doing when he created us and God wants to give us peace; a peace that can only be found when we reach out to God with our whole heart. These characteristics of prayer are important. But we get so caught up in the little details about when to pray and what to pray that we forget what prayer truly is. Prayer is an honor and a blessing. Prayer is quite simply a conversation with God. Prayer is reaching out to God with our whole heart.
As faithful followers of Jesus Christ, it is sensible that we hear his teachings. On the matter of prayer, Jesus is quite clear in Matthew 5:
Pray earnestly;
Pray in private. Do not pray in such a way that everyone sees you. Now this doesn't mean there isn't a place for corporate prayer like we do here on Sunday mornings or there isn't a place to pray as a family. It means praying because you are called to talk to God in such a way that reflects the intimate relationship God desires from each of his children;
Pray simply. Do not use empty and extravagant phrases. God knows what you need before you ask;
Pray in such a way that you acknowledge who God is;
Pray in such a way that you surrender control of your life to God, recognizing that there is a bigger picture, and that the ways if this world are not what God intended for creation;
Pray in such a way that you recognize all things come from God and the things you need most are found in a relationship with the Father;
Pray in such a way that you repent, seeking forgiveness from God;
Pray in such a way that you seek to forgive those who have done you harm. Your relationship with God is only as good as your relationship with other people. Pray in such a way that strengthens those relationships;
Pray in such a way that you seek to have God guide you to avoid the evils of this world;
Pray in such a way that you remember who is the creator of all and ruler over our lives;
Pray in such a way that you don't ask God exactly how to do things. Tell God what you want to say and simply say Amen- let it be;
And when you don't know the right words to pray because there is so much chaos jumping around in your mind, use the words Jesus gave us- the perfect prayer that encompasses all things.
But most of all, my brothers and sisters in Christ, simply pray.
What will you pray for this week? Comment your thoughts below!
Blessings friends,
Pastor Nicole