I remember, soon after I was ordained, my mother asking me to offer grace before a family dinner. I was in town because a very close family friend was seriously ill and none of us thought he would live through the night. So I commenced to offer a standard food blessing, with a petition for Richard tacked onto the end. My mother, being a rigid person, said "Amen," as soon as I ended the familiar "grace" portion of the prayer... She was used to a specific formula for saying grace and darn it how dare I mess with it! My mom was astounded that I would " go off script" while praying.
The disciples ask Jesus: “teach us how to pray. John the Baptist did for his followers, do it for us, give us the formula, write us a script.”
Everyone wants the inside track on the right way, the fool proof correct way to pray.
As if there is a wrong way to pray.
This is Jesus' point at the end of today's Gospel--- knock---Whatever you do knock! That is, PRAY, people. Whatever, however, wherever, whenever....God wants to be engaged in conversation. With us!
And this is what personal prayer is: a conversation with God. Whenever we speak to God, God listens.
God may not respond as we expect ( or wish or sometimes demand ) but God does listen and God does communicate back to us through the work of the Holy Spirit.
But what the disciples were asking, and what many people ask me is, just what’s the magic formula...the exact right way to pray?
I understand the question. People assume that God’s like us. Like my mother--that God has a very distinct and proscribed way of doing things.
God doesn’t.
However, because the disciples are an earnest bunch, Jesus offers them a formula for prayer. An outline of what a prayer could --NOT SHOULD-- look and sound like. The Lord's Prayer. Now it's important to realize that although the prayer is known the world over- it's one of the first prayers children learn, it's one most all of us have memorized -- it is not the be all and end all of prayers. It's simply an example, a prototype for a general kind of all encompassing prayer. It isn't magic, it's just handy.
We needn't pray as the Lord's Prayer is structured, nor must we pray like others pray. We must pray as we feel compelled to pray.
The only absolute is that we do, indeed, pray!
However that looks and however that sounds.
Have you ever been in a period of profound pain and loss and fear? Have you ever had people intentionally and consistently pray for you during that time? Have you felt their prayers?
I have. Through my own journey with cancer, through my spouse’s cancer fight and death.
And I’m here to tell you, it works. I’ve been sustained by and through the prayers of so many people… As a woman of faith I've certainly done my share of praying and intellectually I’ve known that research shows the effectiveness of prayer. But it wasn’t until I was the recipient of extensive, intensive, pointed prayer that I understood---deep in my bones, my heart and my soul---the power of prayer. Throughout the many losses I’ve experienced over the past five years I know that I’m still standing because of my prayer warriors.
The intercessory prayer of people, some I know, some I never will, that’s what sustains me.
Prayer works. The prayer of others offers the recipient a spiritual undergirding that buoys them up enough to endure whatever it is they are enduring. Prayer brings peace to the hearts and souls of those who are prayed for. Our prayers are powerful. Our prayers have a clear and definite effect in this world. And it is our responsibility, our duty, but above all else [I hope] our honor to offer prayers for others. Always.
So, my charge to you is to pray.
Sometimes that prayer may be HELP!!! Sometimes it might be, What the????? Sometimes it might be a deep and abiding thank you. Sometimes it might just be taking a couple of minutes—-or even a few seconds—- being quiet and acknowledging that God is with you. Whenever you do it, however you do it, pray each day—you will, I promise, notice a difference.
Amen.
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