Pray…

Someone I know - who does not profess any religious faith - recently sent me this news release from the governor of Utah, dated June 2021:

For Canadians, whose politicians rarely mention religion, it was strange that a political leader would ask citizens to pray... even if it was to pray for rain in the midst of s drought.

Did it rain?? I asked.

I don't know, was the reply.

I'll try to find out, I wrote back.

How?

Google!

So I googled: rain in Utah, July 2021

Soon I was able to send my friend not only the results...

(Lots of rain!)

But also even a picture...

A Hope and a Prayer

When I returned to Canada after living in Jerusalem, I moved to Montreal.

I found a job teaching English to French-speaking soldiers. But the school where I taught wasn’t in Montreal. It was located in a smaller city, a 45-minute drive away.

Other teachers who taught with me lived in Montreal, so we car-pooled. But that meant taking a bus or subway to the driver’s neighborhood, adding another half hour to the commute each way.

I enjoyed living in downtown Montreal, and didn’t want to move...

Perhaps I needed a car...

At the same time, I had almost no savings and I didn’t want to get into debt... A car seemed like an impossible dream!

Somewhat discouraged, I came across a self-help article that talked of envisioning one’s desires, perhaps by creating a collage - or taking it a step further by buying  something that would support the dream...

But what...?!

I still remember walking through a department store in downtown Montreal and noticing a display of KEY CHAINS...

That’s it! I’ll buy a key chain for the car I was hoping to own someday... 

For many long months, I’d look at the key chain whenever I felt discouraged... In some beautiful, inexplicable way, it gave me hope.

I eventually did get a car - a small yellow Honda Civic. (Honda Civics were  smaller in those days!) And - equally miraculously - I learned to confidently manoeuvre Montreal’s busy, circuitous expressways, something I’m not sure I’d like to do now.

But the point of remembering all this is - in part - to challenge myself again...

What do I want to accomplish now? And what small token of hope could encourage me on...?

Discovering an Outdoor Prayer Station

A day or two before Christmas, I drove over to a church in our neighborhood - in search of "Jesus rocks" - rocks painted to look like baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling cloths.

I eventually found them tucked away in some greenery at the entry to the church, and took two, one for myself and one for my granddaughter Ivy.

I was about to walk away when I noticed a sign... an invitation to pray on the porch entry. The sign also suggested braiding the strips of cloth - or unbraiding them - as one prayed.

I slipped the rocks into my pocket and took three strands of cloth. I've never prayed with braids before.

What should I pray?! 

For an end to this COVID-19 pandemic, of course!! Please bring it to an end!

My prayer erupted from deep inside me...

(It was a powerful moment, hard to explain...)

It left me wishing there were more outdoor prayer stations where we could stand and pray - individually, socially distanced - yet joining with others... as we do when churches are open.

Why the braids? I've given some thought to the purpose of the braids... I think that they distract us just enough for the true desires of our hearts to surface, keeping us truly honest when we pray. They also represent, I think, that our prayers join the prayers of others. Like strands in a braid, our prayers are part of something larger.

"Consumerism" in Prayer

I am re-reading a twentieth-century Benedictine book entitled The Path of Life...

Written by a modern-day Benedictine monk from Britain, it presents an interesting point of view. Often I only read half a page before I stop to reflect.

In a chapter devoted to prayer, I paused after reading the following: A very common obstacle for people like ourselves, living in the late twentieth century, is the hunger for results. Influenced as we are by our consumer culture, we tend to see prayer as a product which we have bought, and therefore we expect it to yield quick results. What sort of results? Many of us, when we settle down to pray, do so with a number of unconscious or half-conscious expectations. Since I have decided to give up some of my invaluable time to God, I expect him to do something for me in return, preferably rather quickly. A sense of inner peace and tranquility, for example, would be nice to have; or a glimpse of the unity and harmony underlying all things. An occasional prophetic glimpse into the future would be welcome as well... If none of these things happen, we feel cheated and want our money back. We expect perceptible results in a short time, and because these have not been forthcoming, we conclude that something has gone wrong... (p. 93)

Am I like this? I have to ask myself... Is consumerism a cultural bias I bring to my understanding of prayer?

Thoughts on Prayer

A while back, I came across some interesting thoughts on prayer in Barbara Brown Taylor's book, An Altar in the World.

She mentions how personal each person's experience of prayer is: ... divine response to prayer is one of those beauties that remain in the eye of the beholder. What sounds like an answer to one person sounds like silence to another... The meaning we give to what happens in our lives is our final, inviolable freedom. Only you can say whether God answered you... Are you still waiting for God to answer you, or is your life the answer you have been seeking, hiding in plain view? 

A Children's Prayer

In one of my mother's books I came across this bookmark with this lovely children's prayer:

Thank you, God, for feet to run,
Thank  you for my play and fun;
For eyes to see, for hand to lift,
For food to eat, and every gift
That makes me strong and wish to sing, "Thank You, God, for everything."

As I read it, it reminded me that nobody is too old to be thankful for mobility, strength, food and joy!

Even my 97-year-old mother, blind and wheel-chair-bound, is thankful for (in her words) "continued good health."

When the time is right...

I'm by nature an impatient person: I like to get things done quickly and move on. Others in my family don't share this trait, so I'm trying to develop patience, to use when needed! That may be why I found a comment by Joyce Meyer so interesting when I read it this past week.

In the Biblical book of Leviticus, God promises: "I will give you rain in due season." Rain, in the Bible, often symbolizes God's blessing:  We need it - but there's nothing we can do, in a drought, to make it rain (except to pray that God will do something!) Like the snow outside these days, rain is a gift from God. Nothing we do can start... or stop it! 

When is due season? Joyce asks. I believe it is when God knows we are ready, when everyone else is ready, and when it fits into God's corporate plan. God has an individual plan for our individual lives, but He also has a corporate plan for the entire world...

God does not push, shove, demand, manipulate, or force people. He leads, guides, prompts, and suggests. Then, each individual is responsible to give his or her will over to Him for His purpose. Sometimes this takes longer for one person than for another...

Our wait is easier to endure when we believe God's timing is perfect, and He is never late, not one single day...

There is a right time for all things in our lives, and there is safety in being in God's perfect timing...

I also want to remind you to enjoy where you are while you are on the way to where you are going... Enjoy today, because right now it's all you have!

A Positive Spin on Worry

My friend Janet has recently begun "doodling" prayer pictures. The idea came from a book entitled Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God.

After Janet's glowing review of the book, I hunted for it in the public library. A popular book, it had a number of "holds" on it. But recently I was able to pick it up and I'm now enjoying not only its drawing suggestions - but its wisdom... For example, I have always viewed worry as a negative thing. (Not that I don't worry!) But author (and math teacher - not art teacher!) Sybil MacBeth challenged me to view worry in a different light when I read what she has to say about it:

"As a starting place, worry is a psychophysical signal that something is wrong. Like guilt, it lets me know that something is askew or not quite right in the universe. I'm not a proponent of guilt-busting or even worry-busting. If I chase guilt and worry away too quickly, I miss the message they bring. They arrive uninvited, but I may need them to stick around for a while. They are my wake-up call, my psychic and spiritual reveille. Both guilt and worry can trumpet, 'Get off your duff, get out and do something, get your act together, get your hands off, get out of this situation...' But almost always they say, 'Get on your knees; this is more than you can handle alone.' Worry invites me into prayer.'

"As a staying place, worry can be self-indulgent, paralyzing, draining, and controlling... When I take worry into prayer, it doesn't disappear but it becomes smaller..."

Maybe instead of berating myself for worrying, I need to listen to my worries, asking myself what I can do about them. Then pray...

Pray... For Doors to Close?!

I think of prayer as asking God for something... A new opportunity, wisdom, health - or some new thing I need.

To some this may sound selfish, but there are times when I realize I've reached the end of my own ability - and I need help.

I recently came across the suggestion that people should also pray for God to close doors, not to give them what they are asking for - if it is not for their own good.

I don't remember doing that very often.

The idea of taking my hands off the steering wheel of my life and letting God decide is, for some reason, hard. And humbling. It's an admission that I don't really know it all... which, of course, is true.

Learning Patience in Prayer

I'm basically an impatient person. So I paused when I recently came across the following admonition:

"Don't be in a bigger hurry than God..."

The words, written by Brother Lawrence - a humble French monastery cook and shoe-maker who lived more than 300 years ago - have a lot to teach me! And I wonder: Have people always been as impatient as we are today?!

I think of the seasons, changing slowly day by day. No rushing - just purposeful movement. Also of Joyce Meyer's words: God is rarely early -  but He's never late.

Sometimes I hope and pray for things for years, and it seems as if nothing is happening... I'm obviously in a bigger hurry than God... who is never late!

I found more quotes by this humble wise man, Brother Lawrence, on this website. He never set out to write a book, but his writings were collected after his death and became best sellers!

(I notice that the one that caught my eye isn't among them...)

Strong Shoes - A Blessing!

"If God sends you down a stony path,
may he give you strong shoes."

(A Celtic Blessing)

Spare Us the Fall - A Celtic Prayer

Spare Us the Fall
May the roof above
never fall in,
May we below
never fall out. (A Celtic Prayer)

I love these practical prayers!

A Prayer for Retirees... and Other Free Spirits!

The beauty of retirement is that I can spend my time however I want - after years and years of living my life by the clock. But my quandary is - how to spend my time! There are so many options - and, equally disturbing (for me) is that I'm not getting to many of the projects I planned to start (or finish) in retirement.

So this prayer - that I came across recently - really spoke to me:

...grant that I may know and understand what things I ought to do, and that I may also have the grace and power faithfully to accomplish them...

... further me with your continual help; that in all my work begun, continued and ended in you, I may glorify your holy name...

It's all about priorities - setting them daily, much like my farming ancestors did. Like them, I want to "harvest" each day's opportunities, recognizing that seasons of the year - and of life - are not all the same.

An Interesting Poem About Prayer

I recently came across this well-known poem about prayer - more specifically, about the mystery of unanswered prayer.

I asked God for strength that I might achieve.
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy.
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.

The unknown person who wrote this prayer was stronger than me!

If I think about my life, I would have to say: "I have received many things I prayed for. (Hardly ever in ways I expected!) But not everything I had hoped for."  

At times, I still ask God: "Why?"

But if I think of my childhood dreams and all I hoped my life might be... I would have to say that I have received more than I ever dreamed possible. God's plans were much bigger than mine!

I asked for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I had asked for,
but eveything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered;
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Prayers/Protestant/Gratitude/The-Blessing-Of-Unanswered-Prayers.aspx#THgpWI0Y2YJMwJeK.99

I asked for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I had asked for,
but eveything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered;
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Prayers/Protestant/Gratitude/The-Blessing-Of-Unanswered-Prayers.aspx#THgpWI0Y2YJMwJeK.99

I asked for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I had asked for,
but eveything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered;
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Prayers/Protestant/Gratitude/The-Blessing-Of-Unanswered-Prayers.aspx#THgpWI0Y2YJMwJeK.99

I asked for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I had asked for,
but eveything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered;
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Prayers/Protestant/Gratitude/The-Blessing-Of-Unanswered-Prayers.aspx#THgpWI0Y2YJMwJeK.99

I asked for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I had asked for,
but eveything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered;
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Prayers/Protestant/Gratitude/The-Blessing-Of-Unanswered-Prayers.aspx#THgpWI0Y2YJMwJeK.99

I asked for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I had asked for,
but eveything that I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered;
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/Prayers/Protestant/Gratitude/The-Blessing-Of-Unanswered-Prayers.aspx#THgpWI0Y2YJMwJeK.99

Bringing Heaven to Earth When We Pray

Prayer has been an important part of my life during my adult years. Setting out on my own to live in other places, there were times of loneliness and trepidation. I prayed and was comforted. In fact, I had a vivid sense that that God was with me, giving me the strength to go on.

Many years later, when my children were young, a book entitled, Let Prayer Change Your Life challenged me to make prayer a regular daily practice, not just during times of crisis.

I still often read about prayer. One idea I recently came across that has me thinking comes from Jesus' words in the Lord's Prayer:

"The Lord's Prayer says, 'Your will be done on earth even as it is done in heaven.'  When we pray that way we are partnering with God through prayer so that the purposes and plans He has in the spiritual realm will come to pass on earth - in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Through prayer we have the privilege of bringing heaven to earth!"

I never thought of prayer like that before. Earth definitely needs a touch of heaven! 

Humility in Prayer

Humility is not viewed as a popular character trait these days! We want our children to be self-confident, not humble! But I am re-thinking the concept of humility... Here is some food for thought:

"... humility must be the foundation of all our prayer... We do not pray from a standpoint of strength but of weakness. If we rely only on our own natural resources we cannot pray at all... Prayer... is first and foremost this act of surrender to the Holy Spirit, without whom nothing can happen at all. This is humility in prayer, whereby we recognize that God is everything and we are nothing... We only really begin to love God genuinely when we realized our total dependence upon him, his compassion and his mercy. As we sink deeply into our own darkness and nothingness we find, mysteriously, that a light shines forth out of the heart of it. There can be no light, however, without a previous darkness, which is entered through humility."

(The Path of Life, p. 171-2)

Waiting

Terry prides himself in his ability to wait patently - whereas I have no patience to wait at all! I keep a stack of magazines in the car - and a notebook in my purse - in case I have to sit and wait.

But Richard Foster, in a book on prayer, challenges me to think of waiting as prayer!

"We discover God in our waiting: waiting in checkout lines, waiting for the telephone to ring, waiting for graduation, waiting for a promotion, waiting to retire, waiting to die. The waiting itself becomes a prayer if we give our waiting to God. In waiting we begin to get in touch with the rhythms of life - stillness and action, listening and decision. They are the rhythms of God."*

I haven't found that sense of peace while waiting - but I'm willing to give it a try!

*(Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, p. 174)

Thank God For ... UNanswered Prayer!

Prayer is associated with hope - hope that our desires will be fulfilled. We "hope and pray" for so many things in the course of a lifetime.

Many of the things I have "hoped and prayed" for have come to pass, but not all. Why? Why are our all prayers not answered the way we would like?

Richard Foster provides an interesting twist to this question when he suggests we thank God for prayers not answered. Why?

"Many times in our shortsightedness we ask for things that would do us in...

In such cases, ... it is God's grace and mercy that prevent our prayers from being answered. God withholds his gifts from us for our good... So we must thank God that many of our prayers go unanswered. C.S. Lewis writes, "If God had granted all the silly requests I've made in my life, where should I be now?"*

That is a question many of us might ask ourselves!  

* Quote from Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, p. 182 

Praying a Sacred Thought

Prayer can take many forms. I have been reflecting on one - praying a sacred thought or idea that resonates in a special way with us when we read the Bible or participate in church liturgy.

Cyprian Smith describes it like this: " It might be a phrase such as, 'The Lord is my light and my help' or... some other phrase ... which ... seems at the moment to be invested with a special meaning. One can... take that phrase away and ponder on it meditatively...; but we do not stop at that... We repeat it, aloud or silently, with intervals of silence in which we let it sink into the heart and communicate to us something of that mystery of God which is beyond the power of words or concepts to express... It becomes an axis, a spiritual centre of calm rootedness around which everything else in our daily life involves." (The Path of Life, pp. 143-4)

"Christ BENEATH Me!"

I love the words of this ancient Celtic prayer, a prayer of St. Patrick:

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I often puzzled over the meaning of Christ "beneath me" - though I did think of it when flying in a plane, something the ancient Celts would never have experienced. Perhaps to them it meant that Christ was with them in their boats - and in the water beneath their boats...

But now that winter is here, thinking of Christ beneath me...

... does comfort me as I drive and walk on ice!