1/04/2006

Risky Business

PRAY? NOW?

Well. Today will be an odd post from "me". If you "get it", fine. If you don't...chaulk it up to consideration. Not sure that I'm comfortable with it myself. So, there you go. Buckle up and ride with me if you dare.

The only thing on my mind today is prayer language...so, that's what where I'm going. If you are already freaking out...well, that's what I used to do. If you think I'm a weirdo...well, that should be established by this point anyway.

Here's my main point before you bail: when you are too busy, distracted, tied up, and running to "pray" with words...to involve energy for the right emotion, too mentally wound up, or on the run to "pray"...I highly encourage a prayer language.

I recommend doing it quietly where others cannot hear you. I recommend doing it with whatever emotion you have at the moment, not worrying too much about emotion or what it does or does not mean.

I recommend trying it, not caring if it "translates" to a real language or not, knowing God understands the deep recesses of us...thoughts we cannot always articulate, knowing the Holy Spirit intercedes perfectly for us, as long as we are praying with a selfless heart (scriptural principle).

Sometimes it just helps to have words and thoughts and emotions and plans-- out of the way of our prayers complelty--for we may be doing the right things already. Still...to take a few stolen moments to "commune", to be with him, to let him know we are not too busy for Him. Even if we don't have time to "talk", to remind Him, and ourselves, that we are about attentiveness and the building of His kingdom...in whatever We, or He is doing that day.

I compare it to the language we use with babies. Not an understandable language, a babble, but a respected one...for the purpose of communing. There is respected communication going on that just enjoys the presence of the other with a sense of lightheartedness to it usually. And our prayers can be that way at times.

Don't worry, if you always pray in this fashion, it will annoy you, and you'd stop. You know when it's time for words...don't force it. Don't overanalyze it, or it loses it's purpose. Let Him enjoy your (if the case may be...silly attempt at just saying, "Hi, Lord...I'm here, loving you, in whatever I do. Right or wrong...go with me, be with me. I want your kingdom to be strengthened today."

I guess this is on my mind because I found that in the month of December, when I didn't have time to pray in a journal, or with a lot of well thought our words or plans, I'd just pray as I drove or worked--whatever came out of my mouth. Sometimes, I just had no time for thoughts or words. Too busy? You may say? Well, I felt like I was doing what He made me to be doing for that season, "too busy" or not. Sometimes, it's about pursuing balance. Sometimes, it's hanging on for dear life and trying to remember that when we live in the center of His purpose for us, He is pleased, and whatever pleases Him, is worship. Sometimes, my running and lack of "balance" is worship to Him. For I agree to it. Whatever He has asked for that day of my life.

So, run in that sense long enough, and you may miss that sense of regular "connection" you had with Him in the seasons of balance and discipline . Sometimes in that time, I just want to bless him, just let Him know, and perhaps remind myself, that I am still "with Him" in my heart of hearts. Acknowledging his presence and purposes, desiring the ushering in of His kingdom, with whatever concerns HIM that day. There may be something in another country on the other side of the world that those prayers impact...things beyond my comprehension or knowledge, but I feel, at times, those prayers hit that need for kingdom impact that day. And, in the midst of "too busy with the mundane to even think"...there comes a great sense of focus in it.

Even in my month of rest and celebration and laxity in normal disciplines in December...my firstborn son would come under conviction and be saved 1/1/2006. How glad I am to know I was still "praying"in the midst of all the holiday festivities and preparations now!. Oh! Not that I am to credit, it is "God who draws"man to Himself for salvation...but, still, He hears our prayers and responds also.

Sometimes even with no words or deliberate thoughts, a name or impression of a person will come to mind. I'll stop praying that way and shift to deliberate and thoughtful prayer, if just to mention their name. I may pray in the same unknown words for whatever they need if I have no direction and feel a peace thereafter. Usually not worrying, not pressing in, just free to ask God anything, and knowing He hears.

If you start wondering if He's really glorified by gibberish sounding words, I've found that it just helps to stop and say His name, "Jesus", or "Jesus, I love you. Be Lord in all things. Forgive me if this is nuts, and I know you do." At that time, all questions and fears leave, and I am free to enjoy my time with Him again. It is for His glorification, not ours. So what we "do" isn't really as important as the focus on communion with Him, at whatever level we are able to offer it that day. The Scriptures tell us to pray at all times with all types of prayers and spiritual songs. I don't know about you, but some days, I have to get more creative to go about doing that.

Other days, I've prayed about some particular need or concern for too long and am beginning to worry just by continuing to pray about it, but I still sense the need to keep praying, so I use a prayer language and it helps me release and still "enter it into Him" somehow. (Okay, so that sounds odd, but I can think of no other way to say it.)

One occassion several years ago, I had a season of prayer once when I felt God told me: "No words...not from me. Not from you." So, for about a month I had no peace about any "words" at all. Man! Talk about weird. I've prayed nearly every day of my life I can remember. Hearing from...being heard as I was used to communicating. I am still not entirely sure of the purpose, though I can guess in many directions. But, as a whole, I just was to experience life and His presence, rest, know, be. So weird. I hated it.

Toward the end of that month, I decided to seek input to try to make sure I was on track and not missing something... a teacher encouaraged me to experience the comfort of praying in a word-less tongue, a "prayer language". I did not know this concept Biblically, and was very leery of it. But, I got desperate. I missed sound...in my spirit. Communication of any type...out loud.
I did not feel comfortable doing it for a while, but tried it from time to time. It was a comfort to utter anything and just release it to Him. I felt a peace in trying. Perhaps just His mercy in watching me squirm! Who knows. But, I draw from that now.

I draw a correlation to an injured person laying in a hospital bed, unable to speak, but glad to just be able to use blink signals with the eyes, or to communicate 'yes' and 'no' by squeezing a hand.

Sometimes, it is similar spiritual conditions that may usher the need for a prayer language.

Well, I'm no authority. But, there's my challenging direction of thought for today for you to "play with". May be for you. May not. May help you understand or guide someone else in some way, or give you insight I know I needed as to why people do it at all. But, there it is, for what it's worth, if anything at all. No indicator of any deeper spiritual experience than anyone else. No indicator of a greater presence of the Holy Spirit than usual necessarily. Just...prayer. Needful. No matter how busy or wound up or relaxed we are...sometimes, we just long for Him...and for me, it's one way to drop in and say "Hi."

Let me know if you have thoughts here: here

Hope it helps someone.

Me

1 comment:

Mysti said...

I understand not being able to pray in words. Many times, that's all I can do, just utter His name and say "Help me (or so and so) through this" or "Let me feel your presence today" or simply, "Help me be good" and just try to consciously be aware of Him throughout the day. It helps me tackle the mundane tasks and keep some balance.