Dear All of Us,
So, as a kid way back when - the 1940's and that's certainly basic back -
it was fun to go to the Thom McAn Shoe Store in Battle Creek, Michigan.
They had this wondrous machine. You stood in front of it and moved your foot
into the bottom of it. Looking down into a scope you saw your foot
inside one of their shoes. It was a live x-ray.
It showed if the shoe was a good fit or not, and if there was room for growth.
What say we some such with prayer?
One size doesn't fit all. Like a kid and their shoes, we can regularly outgrow
a prayer form that was good before but just doesn't at all fit anymore.
There are styles to shoes. We take time to break in a new pair of shoes.
It's the same for prayer. Is this type of prayer a good fit?
Are we trying to squeeze into a form of prayer that's just not right for us?
Are we reluctant to try a new style or form of prayer?
What's best for public/shared prayer? What's a true fit for private prayer?
What's the right way to go about a particular type/kind of praying?
We scope it out:
- When we pray praise are we reflecting the good and glory of God,
or are we trying to butter up God - or a touch of both?
- When we pray petition are we basically telling God what to do,
or are we in trust holding a concern before God - or a touch of both?
- When we pray adoration are we enthralled in God's Goodness,
or are we trying to curry God's favor - or a touch of both?
- When we pray repentance are we really turning from the foul
to the fresh rightness of God's way for us - or a touch of both?
- When we pray thanksgiving are we joyously grateful to God,
or are greasing the skids for future favor - or a touch of both?
With the seasons of the year we adjust footwear.
It's boots for snow, sandals for summer. The same is so for various occasions.
It's one style for work and another for time off. So prayer.
As a child it's rote prayer that hopefully takes root in our hearts.
Praying at church we need to regularly do some prayer buffing up
so the well-worn same old, same old can Spirit Shine, not deaden dull.
As we mature, we need varying footwear - action ware, formal ware,
work and recreational ware.
As we mature, we need formal and informal prayer, shared and private prayer,
meditative and contemplative prayer.
Sometimes no prayer form really fits. So we just keep going along bare souled,
faithfully in step with God when it's not clear what's going on
and we feel pretty vague and vulnerable.
Some mellow into a prayer of contemplative quiet. It's a bit like
old lovers mellow together in a glider on the front porch. It's talk free together.
As babies we start out with booties. As ancient of days we finish up
with soft slippers. In between start and finish we mature through
sizes, shapes and styles. It's the same for prayer.
The big question always is, does it fit
and does it keep us on our way, in step with God?
WELCOME ONE AND ALL
frankly speaking
spirituality for the street
johnfrankshares.blogspot.com
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Prayerfully Asking God's Fullness For Us All.
See you next week.
Love to all
John Frank
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