November Gratitude: “Thank You, Lord, for Prayer!”
The first spiritual goal I ever set was to learn to be a better “pray-er.” That was close to 20 years ago, and that goal has transitioned into an ongoing and deep desire.
Prayer, like faith, is shrouded in mystery. If I were asked, “Do you believe God actually hears each prayer?” I would answer without hesitation, “Yes, I do!” Then, if asked, “How does prayer work?” I would sincerely say, “I don’t have a clue!”
Prayer in its simplest form is a conversation, which is rooted in belief, between an infinite God and finite “lil ole me.” I really like what Andrew Murray says about the mystery of prayer: “We must begin to believe that God, in the mystery of prayer, has entrusted us with a force that can move the Heavenly world, and can bring its power down to earth.”
There are all types of prayers, and the Bible is a great place to look for examples. The shortest prayer, I discovered, is Matthew 14:29. Peter had stepped out in faith into the stormy sea to go to Jesus, and then he began to sink. His three-word prayer was “Lord, save me!”
And Jesus did just that.
This reminds me of a recent “neurotheological” study conducted with a group of deeply traumatized female victims. Brain scans were taken to help determine the effectiveness of various spiritual practices that might help these women’s brains heal. It was found that the simple prayer, “Jesus, Help Me!” began to create integration within their brains.
Jesus hears our uncluttered cries for help.
The longest prayer in the Bible, which contains over one thousand words, is Nehemiah's written prayer recorded in Nehemiah 9:5-38. In it, he recounts his people’s history as well as calling on God to help them once again. Sometimes, when I have a lot to say to God, I like to write out my prayers. Written words may create a record to glimpse God’s faithful work in the future.
There are so many ways of communicating with God! For the sake of brevity, however, I will stop here to humbly say,
Thank You, God, for the gift of prayer.
Thank You for listening to my every prayer,
whether short, long, spontaneous, or liturgical.
Please keep teaching me how to live a life in which I
“Pray without ceasing.”
Amen
Blessings on your journey of prayer,
