Lent Day 19: Prayer

This morning I had the joy of returning to our old church up in Davis to serve as a healing minister. We only do it a few times a year now but it's still very meaningful for us to take the trip up. It's a familiar place. It feels much like coming home to a family reunion. So much is the same. So much has changed. We hug and smile and share news and memories.

The other reason, though, that I still serve as a healing minister there is the fact that someone in the congregation will inevitably find me and bring to me the concern of the day and we will pray together. There is something very powerful about that that moves me and speaks to me each time. Today, I prayed with five people. They came to me during communion, shared what was going on and I offered a quick prayer. Though the entire interaction was probably less than 5 minutes each. Every prayer felt timeless. Between us, in that space there were things not spoken to anyone but God. They invited me into the most vulnerable corners of their hearts and I held them re-assuring of the promise that no matter what they are growing through, God is with them.

Prayer is funny on how many forms it takes. I think of all the times I prayed today. Written prayers during the church service. Those deep healing prayers. Silent meditations that I prayed on the floor of my shower while Eddie poured water from one cup to another and over my head. His bedtime prayer before I sent him off to sleep. Evening prayers in bed with Ulrich just before writing this post. Each very different in style and content. Each a valid expression of reaching out and inviting God to be present. I think no matter how we pray, God knows the desires of our hearts and just asks us to bring them any way we know how.