Prayer

By Cal Cook

I’ve been struggling to write something about prayer this week…maybe it’s because I’m a terrible pray-er. I so easily get distracted that if I try to spend extended time in prayer before you know it I’m making lists of things I should be doing! I’m not sure why that is, is it lack of faith? Is it lack of spiritual maturity? Or is simply a lack of practice, something I just need to practice at?

I’ve been convicted many times over the last several years to spend more time in prayer. I’ve heard many a Pastor say they spend hours in prayer at a time and it provides them with the strength they need to minister to others. Just yesterday I visited two ladies who are in Good Shepherd Nursing Home. I’ve been taking them Communion when we take it as a congregation. I usually spend some time in casual conversation about how they are doing and then offer communion and pray with them. I pray on the way, “Lord give me the words of comfort and encouragement for them.” And yet I usually leave thinking, “Oh I should have said this or that!”

One lady wasn’t doing very well, she has been slipping lately and doesn’t remember who I am and yesterday was very confused. She kept saying, “Something isn’t right, I don’t feel right.” I asked her if she hurt anywhere and she said no. I asked the nurse and she said she had been having anxiety attacks lately from the dementia and she believed she was having one again. I prayed with her and asked the Lord for comfort and peace, offered her communion and then prayed again.

On the way home I started thinking of all of these verses I should have shared with her…why didn’t I think of them when I was with her? Had I not properly prepared myself with prayer? It’s such a mysterious thing to me. I approach prayer as a continual conversation, all throughout the day I try to keep in a prayerful attitude. Thanking Him as I experience joy, asking for guidance as I experience wonder, asking for forgiveness when I turn away…it seems to be the thing that scripture tells us to do.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Maybe the answer is found in all of the reasons I mentioned. The way you pray is the way you believe (Lex Orandi: Lex Credendi) or maybe the law of prayer is the law of belief. It’s an ancient understanding that goes as far back as the fifth century. Apparently people have been struggling with it for just as long…and some of us still are.

"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24