Jeremiah 31:27-34, Luke 18:1-8
Jesus often teaches through parables. Sometimes he provides a clear explanation of what he is saying, and other times he is cryptic. Today’s gospel has a combination of the two. On one hand, Jesus explains how God responds quickly to his chosen ones – to us. On the other, Jesus ends with the phrase “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
What is that about? Is Jesus suggesting that the disciples might lose their faith? Or is Jesus stressing the importance of prayer, which is what Luke says this parable is about in the first place? Perhaps – it is a mixture of both. In order to not lose faith, or better yet, to grow in faith one must pray...and pray often.
In our society, we have some pretty odd ideas about how prayer works, and about how God is supposed to answer our prayers. One way some people pray is sort of like using a Magic 8-ball, only instead of asking a yes or no question and turning the 8-ball over for the answer, you ask a question and then flip open the Bible to a random page and stick your finger down on a random verse, and that’s supposed to be your answer. While this can be sort of fun, it’s a poor substitute for the full and rich relationship with God that comes through persistent prayer.
True prayer is a continual conversation with God, and is a skill that is developed over a long period of time. It takes effort. It takes persistence.
It takes persistence for us to learn to listen to God. We’re pretty good about asking God to give us stuff, but most of us need more practice in listening for God’s reply. Sometimes it feels as though prayers aren’t being answered, that is probably how the widow felt, as she repeatedly had to ask the judge for justice. But unlike the judge, God does not wait to answer our prayers until it is convenient for God;
God listens to our prayers and responds in the way that is best for us.
For me personally, it is sometimes hard to see my prayers being answered. It is not always clear how God is working in my life and that is frustrating at times, especially when we are facing a crisis or trauma of some kind. More often than not we cannot see the forest through the trees, so to speak. We are not always privileged to see the big picture, to see the works of God all working together. But when I look back on those difficult moments of my life and think about my prayers during those moments, I can see more clearly just how God was indeed at work. By continuously entering into prayer, my faith that God is listening and answering my prayers grows.
So how is your prayer life? Do you take time to talk with God daily? Do you take time to give thanks for the blessings that are bestowed upon us every day? Do you offer up your fears, your anxieties, and your concerns?
In the often hectic schedule of life it can be difficult to find time to develop a daily prayer practice. Even when you do have time, it can be hard to know what to pray for or how to form a prayer. With this in mind, I would like to offer a few suggestions.
The first is to use the prayers near the end of Book of Common Prayer. The section entitled Prayers and Thanksgivings begins on page 814 and includes headings for the prayers to help direct you to what you might be looking for. There are prayers for times of conflict, for rain, for birthdays, and for before meals, just to name a few.
Another suggestion is to journal your prayers. Keeping a journal of prayers can help you more easily look back on what you pray for most often and give you a place to write down how you see God working in your life or how God is responding to your prayers.
Another suggestion is the acts prayer. Acts stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. An adoration prayer could be as simple as “God, I love you” or “You are my God and my Lord, my Strength and my Salvation.” A confession prayer says, “God, I’m sorry.” “I’m sorry that I have sinned, that I have hurt the people around me, or that I’ve ignored you.” A thanksgiving prayer says, “God, thank you.” “Thank you for my family and my health, thank you for this day, thank you for sending Jesus your son.” A supplication prayer is an intercession for yourself or others, “God, please help.” “Help me, help my loved ones, help my church, help the world.”
These are just a few suggestions of different types of prayer that could be added to your existing prayer life or to help you start a daily prayer ritual. Ultimately prayer doesn’t have to be a formal occasion with proper posture or words said in the right order. Pray is our own personal and direct relationship with God. Through it we are nourished and strengthened to face the day. Through it we acknowledge the good that is so present in the world around us. Through it we acknowledge what troubles our hearts. Through it we are inviting God into our lives in such an intimate way. For the more we pray, the more we grow in faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment