The right kind of prayer?

Hennie Symington

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:10-14 (KJV)

We all yearn for something extraordinary when we pray while believing that it only happens to the very pious and the most holy amongst us. Of course there is something like a mystical experience, but this is only one aspect of prayer. In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus shows how near prayer is to our earthly existence.

Pray without ceasing even it’s just: “Lord, I cannot pray. My prayers seem to hit the ceiling every time.” Or: “Lord, I’m not even sure you really exist. Please forgive my unbelief.” Keep praying even if you feel like the tax collector hiding in the furthest corner of the synagogue, because the God we pray to remains steadfast and faithful even if we get lost on the way.

Make prayer your default language

Prayer should be like our second language. It should be so tightly woven into our thoughts that we don’t always know where it begins and where it ends. Anyone who tells you differently, or wants you to believe that prayer is more or less than this, is limiting God’s gift of prayer to the select few.

Prayer for today

Lord, sometimes I feel my prayers remain between the walls of my heart. Please enter my inner being and open it up to the language you speak. Amen