Prayer takes many forms, but few question its importance to the practice of Christianity (or almost any religion, for that matter). John Wesley, in particular, emphasized disciplined prayer as a "Means of Grace." I've never been particularly good at remembering to pray - in a disciplined manner or otherwise. In fact, they usually take this form - when I remember:
Please Please Please
Help Help Help
Sorry God
You know what I want/need/etc better than I do
(You know who needs help better than I do)
I only remember that last line when I'm in a particularly unselfish mood, because I admit that I'm pretty bad about thinking about others.
Recently, however, I found myself being prayed over (twice) in a "Prophetic Prayer Tent." Both times, two different groups of... of pray-ers? Praying folk? Two different groups found their way to telling me to embrace my joy - one telling me how they see me ladling a constant supply of joy out to the world, the other seeing me spinning in a field with Jesus, like children at play. So, right. Joy. I'm inclined to be a skeptic about these things - especially because I don't see myself as joyful - but I did see these people skillfully read other folk I know. Clearly they're well trained, and perhaps God really does use them for some prophetic messages.
Then, this past Thursday, I was asked to be one-half of a prayer team at a healing service following a Communion service. That forced me to tap into a level of belief I've always struggled with. Absolutely God healed, and absolutely there are supposed to have been miracles throughout our history - but for my prayer to be healing prayer? I mean, I know it's not my ACTION - it's God's action. But I still have to believe it, for the sake of the people I'm praying over, and annointing.
I suppose, ultimately, these past couple of weeks have been a healthy test of my faith... I can say decent non-scripted prayers, but at some point I have to move my discipline and belief beyond the Lord's Prayer (Our Father). (And for you Catholics, the Hail Mary.)
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