June 20, 2023

I’ve learned a few things about prayer over the years. One would hope, right? Sadly, as Tina Turner sang, I “never do nuthin’ nice and easy.” Coulda, shoulda, wished I woulda.

• Prayer is powerful. Of course it is, because it connects the Divine, the All Powerful to us, who are neither divine nor nearly as powerful as we think we are. I always feel unworthy when praying, but I am aware that when we pray we are ‘playing’ with real power.

• As such, I’ve learned to pray “sooner in the process” and less as a last resort. I’m glad to have access to the “top dawg,” and just amazed that God welcomes it unconditionally.

• I don’t think offering “thoughts and prayers” is doing nothing. In fact, I am hopeful that when God hears my thoughts and prayers, God will respond with a push toward gracious and loving action.

• My prayers pretty much fall into two categories: (1) Thank you, Jesus, or (2) Help me/us, Jesus. Both are reality-based, and very important to why and how I pray. Since God is not a cosmic vending machine for anyone, much less the self-righteous, there is always an element of begging in my prayers, either begging God to help me/us out yet again, or thanking God for doing just that. I’m not sure it is a good thing that my public prayers do not sound more ecstatic (praise) or desperate (lament), but they often don’t. That’s likely less about my introversion, and more about my misguided desire to do it right. Whatever that is. I’ve been culturally conditioned to stylistically judge prayers. Ugh. Forgive me, Lord.

• It is very hard to pray wrong. We’re all God’s children, right? I was just reminded on Fathers’ Day that our perfect heavenly Father’s wants to hear our prayers, wants to hear ALL of our prayers. I imagine God listening to my prayers, smiling (or sighing) and thinking as only an ALL loving God can “There he goes again.” Isn’t it wonderful to have someone who always wants to hear you?

• I will forever be thankful for the parishioner, having just listened to her right out of seminary pastor pray for her elderly sister before a life threatening surgery, then say “Amen” and kiss her sister, and whisper to her “I’ll see you in a few hours or in heaven.” I knew I was in the presence of a spiritual master.

• I don’t always feel like God is listening. Sometimes that’s God just not doing it the way I want, as if I know best. But I have learned to trust that God is listening and caring, and that God’s grace is operative in this world. Sometimes it is really hard to trust anyone, even God, but God is trustworthy.

Prayer is too big a subject for such a short weekly medium. I know you have so much to teach me from your prayer experience also.

I hope the church, both in worship and relationships, is a place where we can do that with and for each other.

Thank you for your prayers.

I am praying as I write this for you, that God will hold you close and bless you on your prayer journeys.

Pastor Jim Wilson