PRAYER TIPS
These tips are a part of a regular weekly E-mail to members of the congregation. Written by the Rev. Ms. Susan E. Ostrom, they grow out of visits with parishoners who have, like the disciples of Jesus, pled "Teach us how to pray." Like any conversation, the tips continue as an on-going series. Check back to see what has been added. There is also a regular prayer class held on Wednesday evenings that includes not only teachings about the art of prayer, but silent time with God. We offer these tips to you. We ask only if you make use of these tips in a class or group setting that you credit the author - and drop us an E-mail to let us know what the response was. Further, if you have questions, or suggestions of what works for you in prayer, please let us know.
Blessings upon you as you talk with God.
Turning to God In All Situations
Other devotional resources:
Meditations on the Lord's Prayer
Meditations on the Ten Commandments
Pastor Sue's sermon in response to the terror attacks upon the United States of September 11, 2001
Most people I know do not automatically or quickly focus on God. To bow one's head, mumble a few words of prayer, and then feel connected to God is a little too quick and easy. While every person must find his or her own way, I find that I need to take a few moments of silence to center myself when I pray. By centering, I mean sitting quietly, taking several deep breaths, and doing my best to let go of the distractions and cares of daily life. Sometimes it works to hold in my mind a verse of Scripture, or a line from a hymn or praise chorus. Other times it is helpful to look at a cross or some other visual sign. Only after I have taken the time to center myself and focus on God am I then ready to address God with my praises and concerns.
There is a handy little acronym which reminds us of some of the various parts which lead to a well rounded prayer life. "A" is for Adoration, which adores God for who God is. This is one of the hardest parts of prayer for me, but one of the most meaningful as well. Adoration looks at the attributes of God more than at what God has done (that will come later.) I adore God when I praise God for God's love, mercy, power, beauty, etc. Many hymns and praise choruses can be used as prayers of adoration. "C" is for confession. In confession, I not only admit to my sinful acts and my general state of sinfulness, I also admit to God (and myself) my need of God. "T" is for Thanksgiving. This is easy: I say thanks to God for all the wonderful things God has done and is doing for me. "S" is for supplication, meaning when I ask God for something, especially on behalf of others. Most of us are pretty good at supplication. Try the ACTS model to round out your prayer life to include all aspects.
Just as God made each of us with different personalities, so there are many ways to pray. The traditional image of a person kneeling by the side of the bed, head bowed and hands clasped together works for some. It is not, however, the only way to pray. God made us each different: some people are meditative, others are active doers. Some are artistic while others are practical. The traditional image of the pious person spending hours in meditation leaves some of us feeling less than holy because it doesn't work for us. No matter how hard we try we can't quite make ourselves spend that time kneeling by the bed in prayerful reflection. Don't kick yourself for being who God made you! Instead, find a form of prayer that works for you. The doer may pray best while walking through the pasture or along the street. The musician may pray best while playing an instrument, the artist while painting a picture. Some people find great meaning in spending long periods of time in prayer. Others find more meaning in short bursts of prayer throughout the day. Experiment! Try different styles of prayer, different settings for prayer, until you find the one or ones that work for you! Let me know if you find your style and I can pass it on to others who may also be struggling to find their own style.
Guided imagery is a style of prayer which works wonderfully for some people and not at all for others. If you are a person who can really use your imagination, this may be for you. If you aren't, don't worry about it. God made us all different. To pray using guided imagery try the following. Read the Parable of the Lost Sheep, found in Luke 15:3-7 through several times. Imagine the scene. Go for as much vivid detail as possible. Imagine green grass, a rushing stream, a storm cloud covering the sun, a wolf lurking in the bushes. Imagine that you are one of the characters, the lost sheep, for example. Imagine how the sheep may have felt at different points in the story: satisfaction and enjoyment of good food, sudden fear on the realizing you are lost, relief when rescued by the shepherd. Take you time with the story and all the sensations and feelings in it. Don't worry too much about researching the Bible at this point. That is another good spiritual discipline, but not the goal here. Instead, feel and experience the story. Perhaps at another time, go back and try the story from another character's point of view, maybe the shepherd of one of the 99 sheep who got left behind while the shepherd looked for the lost one. As you experience the story, you are opening yourself up to experience God in a new way. After all, that's what prayer is all bout.
Turning to God In All Situations
Rejoice in the Lord always! This prayer tip comes from some advice on teaching children to turn to God in all situations, but I think these apply to children of all ages. 1) remember that any concern is valid and important enough to pray about, no matter how insignificant it may seem to someone else, 2) think of a one sentence prayer to repeat throughout the day. It may help to post it in spots where you will see it: the dashboard of your car, above the kitchen sink, etc. For children who can read that might mean tucking it in a backpack or with lunch. This can also be done with verses from the psalms. 3) At the end of the day, think through your sads and glads and use them as a form for your prayer. 4) Keep a blessings list and add to it daily to help yourself (and your children) know that not everything is bad. Happy praying.
A collect is a form for a prayer, much like the sonnet or haiku are forms for poetry. The word is pronounced Call ect, not collect as in collecting stamps. A collect begins with a title for God (Almighty God, e.g.), followed by a phrase describing God (You can do far more than anything we can ask or imagine). Then comes some sort of a request which may also describe a concern or problem.: ( We your people are torn by divisions and strife. Grant that the peoples of this community might learn to listen to and really hear each other in the midst of our anger and distrust even as you hear our pleas.) The collect then concludes with a benediction, or words which leave it all to God: (In the name of Jesus, we pray.)
This is a relatively simple form to remember and use. You will note that often the morning prayer in our bulletin on Sundays comes in the form of a collect.
Did you know that Amen is not the end of the prayer? Amen means "so be it", or "I agree with what was just said." It was originally the response made by others to someone's prayer. Perhaps a more modern version might be an emphatic "Yes!" While it is perfectly acceptable to say Amen at the end of one's own prayers, doing so is really an affirmation of what you have already prayed, be that praise of God, thanksgiving for something, or a request for something. Really, our whole lives should be Amens to the love of God as revealed in Jesus Christ.