More than just confetti

I have a good friend who would always open his prayers when leading a group by saying, "Let's talk to God."

Prayer is a conversation with God, like conversation with that kind of old friend, that even if you haven't seen or spoken for years, you can pick up exactly where you left off.  That's prayer.  You know about each other and at some time you have made some kind of commitment to each other.

Prayer is about relationship.  We turn to another expecting that they will listen, care about what we are saying, and, even if unable to make anything change, stand with us.  We expect that of our friends.  We can expect it even more of God.

Not just at special times of the day, or special times in our lives.  No, we can pray as we drive or try to remain patient with children or bosses.  We can pray when we are frightened or joyous or lonely or thankful.  We can use ancient words that we have memorized or we can simply breathe out a thought.  We can doodle a design while we engage with God, or use beads on a bracelet or sit in absolute quiet.

Most of us start out with simple, egocentric prayers:  Please help me with this math test.  Lord, keep me out of the ditch (a good prayer for snowy roads).  Help me find a job.

But over time we find a deeper power to prayer: the power to ease our anxiety, change our attitudes and open new perspectives.  We find the power of praying for others; focusing on their needs and hurts and joys....sometimes even folks we don't know.

One thing prayer is not is confetti; just thrown into the air with hopes that someone gets pleasure from it.  It is a powerful tool to strengthen our faith, and a comfort in times of doubt or sorrow.  Pretty soon you are talking to God quite regularly and it won't seem strange at all.

Faith formation tool number two.

Learning to pray

"Lord, teach us to pray."

Jesus' answer to this request was The Lord's Prayer.  Memorizing its lines has been a rite of passage for Christians for a couple centuries at least.  Even though different denominations use slightly different wordings, it is one part of any service where you are able to participate.

But don't allow that to be the end of your prayer life.  God doesn't need such formal or stylized talk; God is ready to listen to those ill-formed mutterings and half uttered cries.  God watches as we struggle with our own covetousness or lust or greed, and would love to talk with you about it - to help you find a way past these temptations and to move to the light.

The apostle Paul writes in Romans that all creation cries out to God and the Holy Spirit prays for us with moanings too deep for words.  So when we are tongue tied, God's is at work, for our sake out of love.  Talk to God.  Talk about your day, it's highs and it's lows.  Talk about your dreams and disappointments.  Talk about your joy

If I only knew how to pray....

I hope you are not looking for some magic formula - just the right words or tone of voice, the most appropriate quoting of scripture or maybe some fancy phrases like the pastor uses.  I pray that you are not seeking some precise balance of piety and boldness so that God will do what you want God to do.

Because if you are, I don't have it.  Never have; never will.  I do know that you can meditate in silence or sing your praises to God.  You can gather with the whole community or carve out a few moments during your morning commute.  You can include religious words or simply cry out with moaning and groaning too deep for words. 

You can stand up, lie down, sit in your pew, kneel at the altar, walk in the woods, drive in your car,  raise your hands while you're at it.  Many prayers have ascended during football games, before Math tests, on icy roads and after crushing medical diagnoses.  You can use English, Greek, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish and even gibberish.  God's ear is turned towards and tuned into creation's cries.

But if your heart is wandering in the land of lust or greed or anger or just plain selfishness you're going to have a hard time of it all because it is the heart that speaks most clearly to our God.  This you know:  the God who graciously gives us all, wants us to grow into just such gracious giving people.  Because God is gracious, we are free to ask, seek and knock any time we want and with a whole lot of silliness in the mix. 

This I do know.  The more you pray, the deeper, stronger, and richer your life in Christ grows.  Use up your iphone minutes in conversation with God and before you know it, your eyes and your heart will be opened.  So we ask, just as the disciples did long ago,"Lord teach us to pray."