Resources What Do You Think? May 2003

What Do You Think?

May 2003

"It is not so much what we think, but to whom we present our thoughts."
      -- Henri Nouwen

On Saturday, 12 April 2003, Holy Redeemer held a new event – a prayer breakfast. This event spoke to me in such a way that I wanted to share a little of the experience with everyone. To that end, I have several questions for you to ponder this month; all of the questions relate to the general topic of prayer.

What is prayer? My Webster's dictionary defines prayer this way: "an address (as a petition) to God...in word or thought; an earnest request or wish." Perhaps it is also helpful to consider the verb pray. Webster's defines pray as "entreat, implore – often used in introducing a question, request, or plea; to address God...with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving." Vine's Dictionary of Bible Words reveals similar definitions – request, plea, asking, or supplication. At the prayer breakfast, we defined prayer as "communication or conversation with God; a relationship (with God); a command; outreach to or for others; and, thinking and living in the presence of God."

While each definition seems accurate in its own way, my personal preference is "a relationship with God." I think this definition encompasses the concepts of communication and conversation, but implies something more. The best relationships are those where each participant fully knows, understands, and respects the other. A relationship is more about giving than taking, as much listening as talking. To truly have a relationship with God implies that we know Him, accept Him, and love Him. In order for those to happen, we must listen to Him. Certainly we need to talk to God, but we must also be willing to hear God.

Types of prayer. Just as there are many definitions for prayer, there are various types of prayers. Our group quickly identified intercession (asking for something on behalf of yourself or others), confession (unburdening ourselves of the sins we have committed), praise and thanksgiving, and supplication (remember me Lord; you are God). Many of you are probably familiar with a simple acronym for remembering these basic types of prayer – ACTS – which stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.

When do you pray? While listing these basic types of prayer, we thought of more specific examples – table prayers, "Now I lay me down to sleep," the Lord's Prayer. These examples led naturally to a discussion of when we pray. Consider whether these are times that you pray also. Do you say a table prayer before meals? Do you say a prayer before bedtime? Perhaps a prayer when you wake in the morning? We all pray at church. When else do you pray? As we are reminded in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, we should "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." My desktop calendar has this quote from Gloria Gaither: "Prayer is meant to be a part of our lives, like breathing, thinking, and talking."

How do you pray? You may be getting the impression that the prayer breakfast was a discussion forum – talking about definitions, types of prayers, and when to pray. But on the contrary, only a few minutes were spent discussing prayer. The bulk of our time was spent doing – praying.

We didn't sit in a circle and take turns coming up with a prayer off the top of our heads. Instead, Pastor had created several "environments" for us to sample other, non-verbal means of prayer. We were to be "like the little children" and color (draw) our prayers. We used imagery (the flame of a candle) to help us focus our minds and draw us into conversation with God. We used breathing techniques and repetition (prayer without ceasing) of the Jesus Prayer to remind us that each breath (life itself) is a gift from God. Finally, Pastor brought in a finger labyrinth as a sample of physical activity being part of prayer. Each of these provided a unique experience in the practice of prayer.

Does prayer work? Pastor admitted upon asking that this was a loaded question. Who among us would answer, "No, prayer doesn’t work"? Of course prayer works, but not always as we would expect or like. Prayer works according to God's will, not our own. I believe a key concept is held in the Webster's definition of prayer – the concept of earnestness. Prayer works when you are earnest and have faith. In order for prayer to work, you must believe that God answers your prayers.

The prayer breakfast was a truly enjoyable experience. There are plans for future prayer events. I encourage you to watch for announcements and plan to attend. In the meantime, consider the questions I've posed here. What does prayer mean to you? How do you pray? When do you pray? Does prayer work?

What do you think?
Jeff Hand (jhand@isualum.com)

Author's note: My personal prayer of thanksgiving goes to God for all the prayer breakfast participants who shared their time, thoughts, and breakfast treats, to Kris and LaVonne who conceived of and coordinated the event, and to Pastor Brenda who approached the topic from a fresh and innovative perspective. To spend two short hours in the light and warmth of God, focused on something other than the labyrinth of life has left a picture in my heart that I pray I won't soon forget.