|
I observe four to five intervals of prayer through the day, but that's only after years of making space in my day. This kind of prayer is like regular eating-driven by neediness, not holiness.
*Ken Wilson. Jesus Brand Spirituality.
The Christian's attitude toward prayer is most shown not in what she says about prayer, but how she prays. My conclusion is that the majority of Christians give little more than a polite nod to private prayer, and they are befuddled about how to frame their lives within a life of private prayer that matches how they have been taught of the importance of prayer. Indeed, I never had a pastor to give even rudimentary instructions to me or a congregation on the how of a life of private prayer.
*Brian K. Wilcox. Pastor and author of An Ache for Union.
* * *
The late Indian Christian, Sadhu Sundar Singh, in At the Master's Feet, writes of how private prayer relates to human life:
This world is like a widespread ocean in which men sink and are drowned, but marine animals carry on their life in the deepest water, because they occasionally come to the surface and, opening their mouths, take in a certain amount of air, which enables them to live in the depths. So they who rise to the surface of this life-ocean, by means of private prayer breathe in the life-giving Spirit of God, and find even in this world life and safety.
The world, which we interpret as of four dimensions ~ time, height, width, length ~ is only a slice of Reality. In the world-dimension creatures survive and thrive following natural laws of their particular environments and genetics.
Sadhu is utilizing natural~spiritual law of the human sphere for a wise point. Prayer is not an option for a human person. Prayer is innate to the environment and genetics of being a person. We can no more wisely say, "I choose not to breathe, but I'll be okay," than, "I choose not to engage regular private prayer, but I will be okay."
I assure you: If you see prayer as an option, something you can or cannot have time for, you will never be a person of prayer. Your life will never be lived well toward being the person you can be and become. You will not know the bliss of the spiritual “life and safety” Sadhu speaks of. You will, likely, always inside yourself be on the run, even if you have no idea where you are hurrying to or what you are trying to discover. There will always be some inner restlessness not meant for you, an unrest that is not the unrest of Love.
So the first step in the life of prayer is deciding whether you do or do not perceive and feel the necessity of a consistent life of private prayer. If you do not, you will find many excuses not to pray consistently and seriously. You will see life as a consistent hindrance to prayer. If you do, you will discover that you will pray even when life seems to set in array against you strong and varied forces that could discourage private devotion. You will find life to be a consistent help to prayer.
Also we need to remember that public prayer is an extension of private prayer. A church cannot be a praying church if the people are not praying people. The church may do some praying together, like prayers in a worship service, but it will not and cannot be a praying people without enough persons devoting consistently to daily private prayer. If this is done, personal prayer and community prayer become extensions of each other: really one act of prayer.
* * *
*Brian's book of mystical love poetry, An Ache for Union, can be ordered through major booksellers.
*Brian K. Wilcox lives with his two beloved dogs, St. Francis and Bandit Ty, in Southwest Florida. He serves the Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a contemplative life and inspires others to experience a more intimate relationship with Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused Christianity and renewal of the focus of the Church on addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons, along with empathic relating with other world religions, East and West. Brian has an independent writing, workshop, and retreat ministry, for all spiritual seekers.
*For replies and biographical information, as well as booking retreats or workshops, fill out the following form:
|
