Friday, Week 3 - Turning to God

"Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

    When I think of "prayer," I think of the many ways a relationship develops. Certainly it happens through speaking to another person. It is also essential that it involve listening. How much more difficult to listen than to speak. More difficult yet is being at ease in a relationship when two persons are silent together.
    Prayer is being with God in an intentional way. In other words, I can deliberately turn my mind and heart toward God in whatever I am involved. I can relate to God anytime and anywhere. As I prepare a meal, I can deliberately recall how God is with me. Prayer can take place as I enjoy the muscles and mobility of the human body or the beauty of winter snow. It might happen as I drive to work and sense God's love encompassing all who are on the freeway. Or when I am in the shower and I offer to God all that I am and all that I have as I begin the day.
    Sometimes we are "pulled" into prayer, so to speak, when a sunset or a mountain or a newborn child catches our spirit and tumbles us into a deep awareness of Someone besides ourselves being there.

    Tomorrow night, I will go to a youth group for which I serve as an adult leader. The agenda tomorrow is prayer - I am to lead one of several stations about prayer, basically demonstrating this very idea, that prayer can take shape in many different forms. The irony is, I've spent some time tonight praying about how I'd like to present prayer tomorrow night. Maybe I should just take them all to a coffee shop to blog about Sr. Joyce's Lenten reflections... it seems to work for me!
    When I think of prayer, I think of the process, fully experienced. I believe this involves authentic time alone with God, as well as intentional communion with others. The two sides of this coin work together to enhance the experience. I have found great peace in praying on my own, then conveying the things I have spoken and heard during that solitary prayer to others. It is all prayer.
    I am a big believer in this communication. There is nothing more peaceful to me than to share my inner feelings - though not wrecklessly - with others. We have so much to gain from the sharing of our lives. As well, we must be careful to listen as much as we speak.