WATCHWORD:
When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6
The prayer of a righteous person has great power. James 5:16
Likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the spirit himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. Romans 8:26
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Meditation:
Free Verse Prayer
Years ago when I was completing my clinical psychology degree, I learned a technique to encourage a client to talk about the struggle that they were having. The technique is called free association where the counselee is encouraged to say whatever comes to mind without involvement of the counselor. This way they begin to work on their own material. It is surprising what comes out when the guard-rails are broadened.
Related to free association is a technique in creative writing called free verse. It’s a form of writing that frees the writer, who may be suffering from writer’s block, to write nonstop for a page or two without stopping for grammar or spelling or even meaning, just letting the words flow. In the past it has helped me get back on story.
I believe that prayer is very much like that, letting the thoughts of your mind come and lay them at the foot of the Cross, before the Lord, without definition or formal recitation, just bringing it all to God. It takes practice, which is one value of Pray without ceasing.
Recently a friend of mine, I’ll call him Tony, sent me what he called a song, which I would call prose, in the style of free verse. I really liked what he wrote, it had a certain pace, and a message of faith and belief. To me, his essay was a reminder that God is ever present help when the ‘world looks wrong’ to us. Here is one part that I found especially meaningful and maybe a little bit insightful into the thinking of my friend:
“There’s a plane that flies to heaven every day Right on past the pearly gate.
If you want to ride that plane, have your ticket in hand before it’s too late.
The world looks wrong. And your money is spent and gone.
And your friend has turned away.
Now bow your head and pray and you can get away to heaven on this plane.
Them’s got ears, let them hear. Them’s got eyes, let them see.
Turn your eyes to the Lord of the skies and ride that plane, it will take you home again. Your home behind the skies.”
I like that. There is something that touches the reader, and, I guess, that is the point of writing; connecting with the reader. I see in these verses symbolism: the plane is our Lord and Savior and the ticket, our prayers, and Heaven is a peaceful state of mind. The subject of these verses is someone like you and me, having a rough time. We find the answer when we bow our head and give it all to the Lord in prayer. He brings us home, He brings us peace.
Prayer, whatever form it takes, has great power. It can lift us up in our weakness and shed light to disperse the darkness that is bringing us down. Matthew advises, When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your father who is in secret. And your father who sees in secret will reward you. Meaning – Find quiet time with the Lord, each day. Even each minute. Open your heart to Him. Let the thoughts just flow. He hears you. So be it.
One More Sample of Tony:
A lot of people guess. Some say no, some say yes.
Takes some and leave some behind, but you surely know,
When you leave the airport you leave your sins behind.
Lot of speakers speak, a lot of preachers preach, but the only way is to bow your head and pray.
Personal Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I do not know what to pray as I ought, so I come to you just as I am. There is so much in my life, Lord, that is closing in around me and I cannot see clearly. I pray that you will take this darkness, this confusion, from me and grant me peace so that I may see more clearly Your will for my life. It’s with gratitude Lord that I surrender to You for I know that You love me and You care for me. So please accept my humble prayers, the groanings of my mind, my sins that are many and still You love me. Thank you Heavenly Father, I am your child, help me to realize the full extent of that fact and that I am surrounded by the warmth of Your love. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
