Growing up I thought of prayer as mostly long form rambling to God. Sometimes it was public and flowery. Sometimes private and raw. But mostly a one sided conversation where I talk and God listens. Then I try to listen to life and sermons and Bible verses to hear God speaking back.
But there was also the rosary that my grandmother prayed faithfully and the Lord's Prayer that we recited in unison during service. People at my church were into intercessory prayer which seemed to be a receiving of the Holy Spirit and prophets would both bring supplication and response in turn. And there was a few years when everyone was into the Prayer of Jabez.
There are prayers of silence in monasteries. The physical movement of the body through a labyrinth or the stations of the cross as another form of silent prayer. There are readings of the psalms, singing of hymns, painting a prayer with swirls of color. The prayer that sends us off to sleep at the end of the day and the sobbing screams of grief or despair in life's darkest hours. The prayers we groan at the end of our rope. The silent wonder in the holiness of a baby's first breath, the vast ocean or the sacred grove of ancient trees. The prayer of just being still and knowing that God is God.
Prayer is sometimes an automatic response when we get in trouble (God, please let me pass this test... God, please get me out of this situation) or encounter something so sacred that we know in our soul that God is present. Other times it is a practice that we struggle through kicking and screaming... or fight off boredom or a wandering mind .... or return to again and again and again with deep longing to just fine the presence of God.
What is prayer?
I was talking with a friend about prayer and the role it plays in different people's lives. It was the kind of conversation that was hard to articulate ideas as we realized how big prayer, as a topic is. What is prayer? Why do we do it? How do we do it? How does God respond? On the surface it feels simple, but there are so many different beliefs it's hard to really nail it down. In thinking about it, it was hard to even define what constitutes prayer separate from just thought or worship or other spiritual practices. Perhaps many spiritual practices are different forms of prayer? Is hard for me to draw a line between where one thing ends and another begins.
As I've been pondering this for the past few days and I think at its heart, prayer is a place where the space between us and God narrows. Sometimes we seek God. Sometimes God seeks us. It can change us if we let it.
There is a lot of theology and oh, so many books written about how prayer might work mechanically.
Does God answer prayers?
Does prayer release God to do God's work in the world? Or does God lead us to pray?
Will God answer our prayers if we pray them more often?
There are so many questions like this. Even more ideas about what is and isn't true about prayer.
But I think we sometimes over complicate it. Simply drawing near to God and receiving God drawing near to us is what is essential. For we were made to be in relationship and in relationship we are changed, given life, healed, inspired, redeemed, forgiven and made whole. How it works exactly is a mystery beyond knowing.
This Lent, I'm trying to lean in to practices of prayer that are shaped like my soul. Rather than seeking so pray the "right" way or in a specific tradition, I am trying to focus on words, movements and expressions and actions where I feel that space between me and God narrow. To connect to my native prayer language.
I invite you to consider what is your native language of prayer. We are all unique wonders. Fully known by our creator. God hears our prayers spoken or not, written or breathed. Images, melodies, dancing or silence. Simply being still in the presence of God.
Also, as I explore this world of prayer, I'd love to hear what your prayer practices are like and how you experience them.
Blessings.
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