Life - The Lords prayer part 2

In my last blog there was a story of a young Jewish boy and his encounter of hearing Jesus teaching about prayer.

My own journey with prayer has been complicated at times but everything that is meaningful takes perseverance, effort and consistency.

There are a few reflections on prayer from my own experience that are illustrated in the story of the young boy.

Prayer is PERSONAL not a PERFORMANCE

what strikes me in the story is that there are a few no’s.

No titles

No performance 

No perfect language 

Jesus was reshaping RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE and BELIEFS to be BIRTED from RELATIONSHIP and CONNECTION above RULES and COVENANT LAW.

In my own prayer journey I have gone through stages of mimicking others or saying prayers I thought I should pray even in a way I thought was expected of me to pray. This is possibly part of the course many. However, to get to a place in prayer beyond titles, performance and perfect language is a place of beauty and communion.

Prayer is TRANSFORMATIONAL not TRANSACTIONAL

The young boy noticed in Roman culture there were many titles to keep Caesar from being displeased.

It’s easy for a prayer journey to focus more on EXTERNAL transactions rather than INTERNAL transformation.

Many have a bargaining or begging posture when it comes to a relationship with the Divine. I have been there myself. However, a loving and gracious God longs for people to be the house to dwell in.

The young boy would have realised that this Rabbi Jesus was transforming Judaism internally first so that many, all, would be included going forward.

Prayer can be primarily ENJOYED not just ENDURED nor full of EMPTY phrases.

“In commanding us to glorify him, God is inviting us to enjoy him” – C.S.Lewis

I love the above quote but I also love this one below

Westminster Catechism declared that “mans chief end is to GLORIFY God and ENJOY Him forever.” 

I love reading a good book. I love going to my local crossfit box. It’s ENJOYED not ENDURED so why does prayer or engaging with God have to be any different? Why is religion often thought of as something to be endure rather than enjoyed? I’m sure our answers are many.

Well, for me, I’d like to continue to the place where Prayer is about COMMUNION not just COMMUNICATION

If you enjoy HONESTY and AUTHENTICITY then PRAY the most earthy and heart birthed prayer.

Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” Ghandi

If you enjoy silence then simply sit. Wait. Contemplate. Selah.

“God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer.” Mother Teresa 

These are some of my reflections on this journey of the Lords Prayer.