~ by the Pastor and guest writers ~
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Prayer (October 13, 2004) (Please note: In the September meeting of our Session Shirley Pippin shared with us the following devotional. I share it with our congregation as a word of encouragement – Jesse Thornton) Let us spend a few minutes this evening in thinking more about prayer and what it means in each of our lives. For our opening prayer, a short prayer you might not expect to hear at our meeting tonight. Please bow you heads. Come Lord Jesus, Be our guest, And let thy gifts To us be blest. In his July 21st newsletter, Jesse reminded us that in Luke chapter 11, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus replied with not only exact words to use, as we call “The Lord’s Prayer”, but also with the assurance that God answers prayer. Since the time of Jesus, hundreds of thousands, probably millions and millions of prayers have been offered to God. Although we know Jesus’ instructions on prayer, have you thought of the growth of your prayers? Author, Carolyn Myss, suggests that we mature in the manner in which we pray. Most begin as children with a rote blessing as “Come Lord Jesus” or “God is Great” at mealtime or the bedtime favorite, “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep”. As we make our prayers more personal we become ‘stuffologists’ – God give me stuff, bless my stuff, where is my stuff? Can I have more stuff? God is manifested through ‘stuff’, and along with that are prayers that people say in which they request that God grant them what they want: Please let my business succeed, please let me…give me… and so on. Now, this is ground level prayer (and obviously not delegated only to children!!) – which is, in effect, not unlike saying, “I will believe in you IF you give me…and do what I want.’ Ms. Myss believes that it goes without saying that always people who pray in this manner are disappointed, as they should be. We don’t have what it takes to command the cosmos or to bargain – can you imagine what life would be like if everybody got what they wanted? Given the nature of mankind, everyone would want the planet and all its power to revolve around them. The next level of prayer is directed toward guiding your inner life. People will naturally evolve – like it or not – to a place where they have to approach life from within their own being. Introspection and self-examination become the priorities, and prayers mature to requests for directives to understand the nature of one’s soul. That maturation process automatically challenges the demands of the ego, which shall always desire control of the world. Finally, Ms Myss offers to us; the most mature level of prayer is transcendent: prayer without request – to enter into a state beyond request, needs, or demands. A state in which you dwell, even for a moment, in the single perception that all needs are met; you are where you should be; guidance pours at all time; a prayer of power is beyond words, where dialogue is unnecessary. That final level of prayer, ‘where dialogue is unnecessary’ undoubtedly would be objectionable to those who have written countless prayers covering every ‘stuff’ subject imaginable, guidelines for praise and adoration to God, and understanding God’s answers to our prayers when those answers may be no, wait or try again. Written prayers and how-to-pray information are not only found in books or in music. Technology has increased our availability to prayer directives. Television and radio have offered help and now computers, cell phones and even personal digital assistants can assist us as we pray. Returning to Jesse’s words on prayer – “Prayer is a relationship. It is the presence of someone with us--the presence of God--not that God will always change the situation, but knowing that God is with you, not as a far off God, but as your very close and loving father and mother.” So at whatever level you find your prayers and by whatever method you use to pray, with whatever tools you use, remember the words from our opening prayer – “Thy gifts to us”, use your own individual gifts to share your life with God – as you pray. “The Power of Prayer” I got up early one morning and rushed into the day; I had so much to accomplish that I didn’t have time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me, and heavier came each task. “Why doesn’t God help me? I wondered, He answered, “You didn’t ask.” I wanted to see joy and beauty, but day toiled on, gray and bleak; I wondered why God didn’t show me. He said, “But you didn’t seek.” I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys at the lock. God gently and lovingly chided, “My child, you didn’t knock.” I woke up early this morning, and paused before entering the day; I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray. Resources used; NIV Study Bible Zondervan Fifteen Minutes Alone with God by Emilie Barnes “What is the Purpose of Prayer” by Carolyn Myss The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Prayer by M. Galli & James Bell If You Will, God Will Harrison House Beliefnet.com PrayerTeam@PresidentialPrayerTeam.net by Shirley Pippin-Elder
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