Today a friend told me such a sweet story about his wife gently reminding a great-grandson that, since he longs to be a teacher it would be a good idea if he worked on projecting his voice a little more. The young man's charming girlfriend gave him a smile and said, "And if you want a relationship you gotta talk!"
I had to laugh, especially when I thought how true that is for us in our relationship with God. God has given us Bibles, hymns, written prayers ancient and modern, stories and comments from fellow travelers, archaeological digs, and preachers great and small, so joining the conversation about who and what God is poses no challenge.
But if it stays a head game or as internal conversations where we answer what we think God would say, it gets us no further ahead. It is essential that we communicate with God.
We call that prayer, but it comes in many forms. God, are you there? God, do you care? God, help my child. God, I'm so afraid. God, this is such a beautiful sunset. God, thank you for my friend. God, help us keep our marriage strong. God, I'm so alone. God, I don't know where to start.
It even includes: God, I'm mad at you! God, I'll die if you don't give me what I want so desperately. God, punish my enemy. God, none of this makes sense. God, if that is how you manage this world I want nothing to do with you!
The amazing thing about God is that you don't have to memorize the "right words" to pray, though familiar words of rites deep with meaning can open a door. You don't have to stand in a particular place or maintain a particular pose, though times of quiet repose with body language that indicates a desire for solitude can be good at times. But for many of us it starts spontaneously in some pretty odd places.
It can even start with, "Hey, you! Are you out there...."
Because, you see, no matter what it feels like in our human flesh, in truth it is we who withdraw from God. God is present at all times, wooing you, longing to attend to your needs, loving you, opening doors to possibilities not yet dreamed of, sending people to care for you.
You can whisper or shout, weep or barely breath, be awed by the possibilities or terrified of His judgement, have thousands of words of scripture and hymns memorized or be completely without any understanding of who God even might be.
He is waiting for you; open the conversation with one word: God?
I had to laugh, especially when I thought how true that is for us in our relationship with God. God has given us Bibles, hymns, written prayers ancient and modern, stories and comments from fellow travelers, archaeological digs, and preachers great and small, so joining the conversation about who and what God is poses no challenge.
But if it stays a head game or as internal conversations where we answer what we think God would say, it gets us no further ahead. It is essential that we communicate with God.
We call that prayer, but it comes in many forms. God, are you there? God, do you care? God, help my child. God, I'm so afraid. God, this is such a beautiful sunset. God, thank you for my friend. God, help us keep our marriage strong. God, I'm so alone. God, I don't know where to start.
It even includes: God, I'm mad at you! God, I'll die if you don't give me what I want so desperately. God, punish my enemy. God, none of this makes sense. God, if that is how you manage this world I want nothing to do with you!
The amazing thing about God is that you don't have to memorize the "right words" to pray, though familiar words of rites deep with meaning can open a door. You don't have to stand in a particular place or maintain a particular pose, though times of quiet repose with body language that indicates a desire for solitude can be good at times. But for many of us it starts spontaneously in some pretty odd places.
It can even start with, "Hey, you! Are you out there...."
Because, you see, no matter what it feels like in our human flesh, in truth it is we who withdraw from God. God is present at all times, wooing you, longing to attend to your needs, loving you, opening doors to possibilities not yet dreamed of, sending people to care for you.
You can whisper or shout, weep or barely breath, be awed by the possibilities or terrified of His judgement, have thousands of words of scripture and hymns memorized or be completely without any understanding of who God even might be.
He is waiting for you; open the conversation with one word: God?
RSS Feed
