About Prayer

artist: lara

If you have ever wondered what your children are up to and suddenly realised that you have not spoken to them in any meaningful manner in a while, you might begin to understand how we all behave towards our Heavenly Father .
Sometimes they pop up after a long silence when their pocket money is running short or if they are in some sort of difficulty. I have often thought about the parallels between earthly parenting and my own relationship with my heavenly parent. I find myself examining the nature of my own relationship with my earthly parents also. My parents are my children's grandparents and there are two generations of separation between them. How am I relating to my one generation away parents? The chain of inter relational connections spanning three generations is right here for me to observe, and I am the middle connecting point between my parents generation and our children's. This makes me examine the idea that I am in a pivotal season because as soon as my parent's generation are called back to their maker, I would have moved up a full generational notch, and will no longer be a generational bridge. The baton would have been passed on to our children, and my generation will really have become the 'old people'.
There really is nothing new under the sun!

It seems to me that the skill set that governs the management of my relationships both earthly and heaven ward, must be paid attention to. Companies call it 'stake holder management'. In some forms it is called 'politics'. Politics is a pre- orchestrated plan to carefully align oneself with the right parties for personal gain, advancement in various ways, and for the extension of power. Fortunately, we serve a God who cannot be manipulated and be politicized in any shape or form. I cannot treat my Heavenly Father as a 'stake holder' that needs to be managed.
These thoughts that have come to me this morning, are leading me to recognize how much I can be wrapped up in my own life and concerns that I fail to keep regular, open connections with my creator. I am also led to consider more deeply, the topic we have been discussing in two bible study groups that I attend. That is; the topic of prayer. We have been discussing what it is and what it is not. We are all in one mind in concluding that prayer is very closely related to our individual relationship with God.

I am absolutely certain that my prayer life is a clear reflection of how I relate to God. It is a clear reflection of my communication style, and most importantly my 'attitude' towards God. The tone and manner of my fellowship with Him.

O dear ! There is a wide gap between what I am actually saying/doing, and what my attitude shows. Just like how with earthly relationships one can see that, what someone is saying can conflict with their body language . I am re- examining, my attitude, my body language towards God this morning, and wondering if they line up to the same thing. In addition, am I actually communicating with God as a natural habit on a regular basis, or am I just popping up when I need something or I am in difficulty?

After many discussions at bible study before church last Sunday, there were three important elements that emerged as crucial parts of prayer. I think these encapsulate what I must pay attention to very nicely.

• Conversation
• Fellowship
• Communication

I was further led to put them together in a phrase that I think defines prayer well.

Prayer is a conversation with God that communicates with Him in fellowship.


I almost feel like saying ' go and do like wise' as a parting phrase, but I think I will leave directing anyone for the moment and go ahead to look deep within myself first.

artist: lara