IN FAITH
Reflections On Prayer
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, {17} that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him. (Ephesians 1:16-17 RSV)
Many persons have heard the saying, “Prayer Changes Things.” And for those of us who believe in God, prayer is a very important part of the life of faith. This column will explore very briefly what prayer is, and what prayer isn’t, and why it is absolutely vital to a life lived in faith in the living God.
If one reads the Bible, it becomes obvious that prayer is a key part of the lives of the men and women who are found in its pages. From Job, who offered prayers and sacrifices for his family, to Moses, to the prophets of Israel, to Jesus and apostles to modern day men and women, prayer has been a major part of daily living. One might even go so far as to say, that prayer is absolutely indispensable.
First of all, when we say “prayer changes things,” we must ask, “Why pray at all?” There are some who believe that prayer is superstitious, and an attempt to magically manipulate God into doing what we want God to do. In this case, persons see God as nothing more than a cosmic bellhop, or a vending machine. Magical thinking causes one to believe that if the right words are spoken, a person is able to control the elemental powers of the universe, and cause them to do his or her bidding. This is completely contradictory to what Christians, Jews, and Muslims understand prayer to be.
As monotheists (those who believe that there is only one God), we understand God to be sovereign. By that I mean, that God is in charge, and we aren’t. We are God’s creatures and part of God’s creation. If we look at the lives of great persons of faith, when they pray, they do several things:
• They offer praise and thanksgiving to God, because God is the source of all good things and true blessings. Genuine praise and adoration gives glory to God, causes us to remember who we are and whose we are, and the right order of creation.
• When the saints of old prayed, they “listened for the word of God.” By that, we mean that as they tried to understand what key decisions to make as they faced crucial “forks in the road,” they sought “God’s direction prior to making important decisions. We all know, that there are times when we listen in silence, or as we pay attention to dreams (like Joseph in the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible) there are times when God will “speak” to us. It may be through images, words, music, art, scripture passages or a variety of means. The difficult part of this is, sometimes we do not have a clear “word” from God. Then we must rely on principles gleaned from years of scripture study and a life lived in prayer and faith.
• In prayer we “intercede” for those in need. We bring the names and circumstances of people we love (and even those who are our enemies) before God as a way of asking for divine intercession. There are those who do not believe in this. Carl Sagan, the noted astronomer, who produced the television series “Cosmos” in the 1980’s, as a humanist, didn’t believe in God or prayer. Even on his death-bed Dr. Sagan, refused to acknowledge that prayer could make a difference. Since his death, scientists have done “double blind” studies, that conclude that in the groups where persons prayed for patients, healing came faster, than those who were not lifted up in prayer. I would direct readers to the work of Dr. Larry Dossey if one is skeptical.
• Lastly, there is “emptying prayer.” This kind of prayer has been practiced as a way to deep, inner peace. In the Roman Catholic tradition, it is often begun by using the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner,” accompanied by deep, rhythmic breathing. Quakers use a similar form, as do Eastern Orthodox Christians, and mainline Protestants. The short version of this prayer is simply “Lord, have mercy,” or even “Jesus.” One can even present oneself to God in utter inner silence, knowing that our Father in heaven will know what is in our hearts, minds, and spirits (see Romans 8:26-27). This kind of prayer produces great inner peace, if practiced daily and regularly.
I offer this column on prayer, because I do believe that prayer does make a difference for those who pray, and to those for whom we pray. Our world is out of step with God. Any sensitive, thinking, reflective person can see that. I wonder, “What would happen if faithful men and women, would unite in common prayer for our community, for our nation, and the world?”
Perhaps our priorities would change, and we would turn from domination, greed, lust, fear, hatred and all of the temptations and curses, which plague modern life, and instead embrace God’s way of living. The result would be a very different world, beginning in individuals, and in families, and in this world in general. Now, brother or sister, will you make time to pray?
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