In my 22 years as a follower of Christ's I have still not grasped a definitive and conclusive understanding of prayer. For some "inexplicable" or should I say... in the mind of a true reform, explicable reason, since I returned from my year of "rest and reinvention" in the Cape to my home, Pretoria, I have literally been bombarded by this topic, prayer!! From cell groups to questioning teens to sermons... it has become apparent that prayer is... important!! "Newsflash!!" you may say. Well, yes in substance, I have always known prayer is a vital ingredient to our spiritual journey with Christ and have practiced it to some lesser and occasionally greater degree, but there is something fresh about it that I am presently discovering.
It is slowly becoming less of a discipline and more of a lifestyle... I mean, let's face it, we don't "discipline" ourselves to have a conversation with a good friend do we? To the contrary, if you're like me, you crave intelligent, humorous, and in depth conversation with a friend, in some instances, we can't wait and will sacrifice other engagements and commitments to quench our thirst for such conversation. Isn't this how we should feel about communicating with our Father in Heaven?
It isn't about a monotonous, extended monologue defined by a time of day, it isn't about a guilt driven obligatory utterance before dinner, it isn't about bowing your head, getting onto your knees, lifting your hands or closing your eyes. It isn't even about inviting Him into your life... although usually, this will precede a healthy prayer life. So what then is it about??
With only myself to amuse (or impress) in an aircraft, flying 10000 ft above the earth, as the sky transitioned between the light of day and darkness of night, I was granted the most tangible understanding of what it is about... quite simply, like most good things in life, it is about His Presence!! His Presence and our presence within His Presence. It is about sharing a moment with him, sharing an experience, sharing an emotion and yes, ultimately allowing Him the glory for each of those moments! At this realization, any request or list of wants that I may have felt the need to present Him with became futile, inconsequential in comparison with that moment with Him! Of course, this may have changed had one of my engines decided to quit right then but then I think the moment may have passed!!
Some of us are verbose, inclined to talk much and listen too little, some are quiet, introspective and possibly a little shy, should we have to change who we are to commune with our creator, should we be forced to conform to models of prayer that people have dictated through the ages?? Christ himself, instructed us to pray in secret (Matt 6:6), not to say that our prayer life should be a secret to others but our presence in His Presence is intimate, personal and tangible. In this communion with Him our motives are made right and our prayers are directed because the Spirit becomes our reason for everything we do, see, taste, smell and touch. We ask little of Him because we understand how much He has given to us, and are thankful for every small thing. We consider others more highly than ourselves because this is the very image of who Christ Himself is. And we are exhilarated by this because no one understands our experience quite as much as He does!
Praise God for revelation!! This is my revelation and may not be yours but my prayer is that yours would be equally magnificent!!
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