Prayer is essential to Christian life, but many of us are discomforted by the idea of entering into prayer. Somehow we assume that if we do not experience something “magical,” then we are not really praying at all. Thus, we attempt to connect to God by strenuous efforts to transcend this reality to enter into another. However, the realm of prayer is not like Lucy peering into a strange new world from a wardrobe or Wendy first entering Neverland. These worlds are only spruced up versions of our own. God meets us here in this world. He listens to us, even if we must pray from a gutter. We do not have to figure out a way to disconnect from our bodies to enter His transcendent presence; He comes to us when we go to Him in prayer. What we must realize when we pray is that begging for Him is not how we must find Him; we must realize that He is already there. When we beg for Him to show up while He is right next to us saying, “I am here,” we miss out on what we are really looking for: a connection with Him.
Too much effort to discover some transcendent mindset causes one to become introverted. We begin to ask, “What must I do?” Thus, our very effort to become enlightened forces us away from God. To follow God is to obey Him, and obedience entails a life of outward, self-giving love. We do not draw away from the world to find God. A life of constant prayer does not mean that we are given reason to remove ourselves from the world. We must learn that our relationship with God does not depend on how often or long we can get away from “life” to enter into quiet time. Quiet time is good and necessary, but so is reaching others. Prayer and communion can happen in the midst of the ordinary. God can speak to us in the mundane. Does God work only in the mundane? Can I not have a miraculous experience in prayer? Surely we can, but if that is where we assume we must start, we walk right past God on our way to find Him. If we need a miraculous event, God knows and will provide. We need not try to conjure it up for ourselves.
We may even speak with God in our own language. Christ taught us to do so; therefore, it must work. It is God who will answer in the language that surpasses our minds' understanding but touches our heart in such a way we understand without hearing a word. Can God speak to me in an audible voice? Surely he can do all things. But, does this mean I am somehow closer to God than my brother or sister who has not heard His voice? Not at all. In fact, it might just mean that we were too stubborn to listen when He spoke to our heart.
Our eyes do not have to roll back in our heads as OMs flow from our mouths and we enter some semi-conscious state. God is not an elusive being that we must catch in order to speak with Him. We do not have to figure out how prayer works before we can partake in it. God knows how it works, and He will deal with any complications that it might take in order for us to connect with Him. In fact, He has already done so. Christ sacrificed Himself so that we might enter into a relationship with God. Let us not insult His death and resurrection by assuming that there is yet another task we humans must figure out before we can speak with the Father.
Dear Brother Tab, Thank you for giving me a better understanding of prayer. I always wondered if my kind of prayers were what God expected of me or could I improve. I'm by no means eloquent in my prayers, but sincere, and I understand God knows my heart. This tell me He also understands my prayers. How comforting to know He is at my side when I pray; I knew this, but sometimes I feel like He is not listening. I have no doubts He hears all my prayers and understands them better than I do. I now understand nothing else has to happen for me to talk with and pray, as my relationship with Him is secure. God Bless you, Brother Tab. Brother Roy, The Bible Man
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