Prayer - 4 November 2008

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35

Jesus himself kept in touch with his father through prayer. Prayer is one way that we too can get connected to our Father in heaven. We don’t all have to do it the same way – we don’t all have to conform to the same pattern; we each don’t always have to do it the same way – different situations lend themselves to different ways of praying. Equally, there is no wrong way, just different ways; set prayers, open prayers, praying out loud, praying quietly in our hearts, praying alone in the quiet, praying with others, using music, praying while driving or doing the ironing – they are all ways in which we can connect with God and acknowledge his presence with us.

We can easily beat ourselves up about prayer; does the question, “How is your prayer life?” instil feelings of guilt or failure? That’s the pressure that we place on ourselves. Encourage ourselves by what we do, try not to see prayer as a chore or duty, but as an opportunity; an opportunity to get in touch with God.

Why not view each prayer as a stepping stone of God contact on the path of life; the closer the stepping stones, the easier the walk.

Take time now to make contact with God by offering a prayer, as Jesus suggests:

“This, then is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:9-13

Amen