The football game started and ended with prayer. Don't often see this in sports but you do here. We often think that prayer has rules, it doesn't.
How, when, the amount of minutes, what you are wearing, if your mind wanders, all those things don't matter. No certain verbage or order mater. If you are of the persuasion that throw up prayers in time of trouble, that's ok but you are the one missing out. Like anything else, if you only do something when you are in panic mode, lots of time you forget to ask the important stuff.
Yesterday morning, we were asked to pray for a family in our church who had a missing pilot and passenger, who did not return from a scheduled flight. The news kept us updated during the search and when, in the late afternoon, the plane was found, there was still no information of survivors. An hour or so later, the news that there were no survivors was made official.
How does one pray? Do you try to bargain your way out? Scream so loud on the inside that your head throbes? Or is this the time to try to find some peace, no matter what the outcome? None of these is right or wrong. I dare say that there were many different prayers sent up in this situation and all were in service to the One, loved by us all.
For me, prayer is not just about asking for things. It is a state of being. It is learning to live in the Moment, no matter how painful it is. To look the Present, straight in the eye, and keep the Panics at bay.
I used to hate prayer. You must get up an hour before everyone else, here is your list of do's and don'ts. If you fall asleep or your mind wanders, you are bad....
When I let all that crap go, and started to a new Road, prayer changed for me. I love it so. now. Whether I have all the time in the world, or just a few seconds - the whole experience is nothing short of joy. When I think of Keaton as a grandfather, when the sky makes me grateful or when a call comes in where courage and peace is needed...There is no place I would rather be...
