rules for praying
- You must pray every day, a minimum of twice (not counting meal prayers), first thing in the morning and before bed.
- You must close your eyes (unless you are driving).
- Your prayers must have at least 4 parts and you have to use an acronym to remember the parts.
- Some of the parts can swap in order, but you can never start out by asking for something.
- You should use some good words but nothing to fancy because of the Pharisees and stuff.
- If you miss a day, or several, you must give extra praise, be very sorry and be extra thankful. You may still ask for something but only if it's really important.
- Bonus point for keeping a prayer journal with your eyes closed.
Anybody else?
So prayer hasn't always been my thing. That's what I told myself. Actually that's what I believed, I'm not sure I originated that story. I'd tried to be consistent in my prayer life, but I'm super visual and easily distracted if I don't have something to focus on and (see rule 2) you have to close your eyes, so I'd generally forget that I was praying or I'd fall asleep or forget what I was praying about. I am hanging my head in shame right now.
It was actually only a year or so ago that something finally clicked for me and I actually do keep a prayer journal, but not for the extra points, and I do it with my eyes open so I don't even get them. I just can't concentrate without seeing it. Plus throw in a couple kid emergencies...a diaper that needs changed, a magnetic marble that got swallowed, a drink that someone needs, a flooded bathroom...and sometimes you just have to put that prayer down and go help someone or mop up a bathroom (or the occasional bedroom if your kids are like mine and think a pool in their room would be a good plan) and if I'm writing it down, I can remember where I was when I left off. Sometimes I don't finish my prayers in my journal. Sometimes I have to scatterbrained pray and the Lord can follow along, because He's God and He loves me anyway.
Sometimes I miss a couple days (weeks) in my journal. This doesn't necessarily mean I'm not praying, but it does mean I'm not even attempting to set apart some time with the Lord. This is where my prayer journal trips me up. I look at the last date and often I feel condemnation. How about you? Has it been too long since the last time you prayed?
Listen, some of those rules up there at the top of the post? They're good things. Pray everyday. Pray without ceasing! Some of those acronyms? They're really great for providing some structure and helping us to remember that we need to confess our sins and give thanks before we start listing our give me's. No doubt, there's some legit Biblical stuff up there and I'm not trying to make *too* light of it. But here's the thing: Don't not pray because you didn't pray. You don't skip lunch because you skipped breakfast. You don't let your kids skip sleeping at night because they skipped their nap. If it's been awhile since you prayed, go! It's not all awkward like you're thinking. OK, it might be a little awkward at the start for you, but it's not for God! He's thrilled to hear your voice.
Bonus thought: pray without ceasing...ever been around a child who wants to tell you every detail of their life? They talk from the moment they get up until the moment they go to sleep. Be that child with your Heavenly Father. Because He's a perfect Father, He's not going to get annoyed with you. Everyone has an inner dialogue going on. You can talk to yourself or your Creator. So get talking to your Father who loves you!
