Pray!

Not long ago, I had a conversation with a friend about a particular situation. We talked through the issue and all the related issues. My friend ended the conversation by saying, “All we can do now is pray.”

There is something in that final line that gives me pause. It makes it sound like prayer is something that happens when all other avenues are exhausted. There is nothing else to do, so now we pray. This completely misses the heart of prayer.

Prayer is about inviting God’s presence into a situation. In this season of the resurrection, we mark that God is alive, bringing new life and active in life. Prayer is intentionally inviting God to be part of our lives, naming our needs and sharing our hopes. We pray to know God, and to allow God to know us.

In the Prayers of the People on Sundays, there are a couple of openings for individuals to offer prayers. One petition is an opportunity to name blessings. There is great power in naming something as a blessing and sharing the blessing with the community.

The other two petitions are invitations to name those that need our prayers and who have died. These petitions invite God’s presence and help, but are also signs of trust. God cares and cares for us, forever.

I hope you will consider the situations in life where you would like to invite God. I hope you will share them in worship with the community that exists to proclaim God’s presence and care. Help us know, trust and see.