Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Conversation # 5 – Beginning to think about Christian practices - Prayer





This week I want to start thinking about some Christian practices: prayer, sacramental worship, reading the Bible, acts of justice and kindness, and Christian behaviour. It will take me a few weeks to cover these. If you have any questions, as per usual blog or raise them in our catch-up sessions.

Prayer

All relationships need communication for them to be healthy and rewarding. We find that with our own families and friends. We need to communicate with them if they are to understand us and we them. That communication can take a number of forms. It can be deep conversation about something that concerns us, simple requests for something, angry expressions of displeasure or happy conversation where there is much humour and laughter. All these are normal human conversation and communication. They help us to be in a relationship with others.

Prayer to God can be exactly the same. We can talk to God in prayer, just sharing our day with God. We can bring to God our concerns and pray for those we love. We can express our disappointment when things do not quite go right, and, at times, we can express our anger with God about the injustices we experience in the world. Prayer often motivates us to take action about such things as we co-operate with God in God’s mission in the world.

One area that often troubles us is when God seems not to answer our prayer or doesn’t appear to be listening. We can feel that God has abandoned us. That experience is common to most of us. The answer to this is not straight forward, but I tend to think that sometimes God says no to our prayer, just like our parents say no to, what may seem to us at least, a fair request. God knows what is best for the long term and into eternity. At the other times, God may say not yet, but in time our prayer request may be answered. Other times, I have found, that God says yes straight away. Like many things in the Christian faith prayer is something of a mystery and we will not seem totally logical to us. Most important of all, however, is that prayer draws us closer to God and something of God’s heart shared with us. As with all relationships, there are times of great joy and at other times moments of struggle.

What does prayer mean to you?

Has God answered prayer the way you wanted?

Have there been other times when you have felt disappointed that your prayer has not been answered?

Chris




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Praryer means a conversation with god. It does not have to be in church, as believe that church is everywhere you want it to be.Prayer gives you comfort that a person can not get anywhere else. (At least there is no answer back lol),it clears you mind and you know that he has a plan and that he will provide perhaps not in the way we hope but in a way that it is to be. I would say in around about way my prayers have been answered but that is because i ask God to give me strength.. and it seems that he has given that to me and for that i am greatful and bless as i have gained much more i gained friendship guidedence and advice.So I am lucky and Blessed

Chris said...

Thanks Anonymous. Yes, prayer can be made anywhere and in a variety of forms: silence, spoken words, holding a cross, looking at the sea, holding a child or loved one... Also, prayer is the Spirit praying within us, especially when we can't find the words to say. Prayer with the church is important too, because it is something we do together. It is part of being in a relationship with others.

Thanks for your thoughts!