prayer

Did you know that the tradition says that because of God's sovereignty intercessory prayer doesn't matter? I know, I don't much care for that either. Why was Moses able to abate God's vengeance on more than one occasion? Why would Jesus have prayed intercessory prayers if he knew they didn't matter? Why would Paul call us to pray without ceasing if it wouldn't make a darn bit of difference? I just don't know.

Which brings me to my reflection for today, a collect in the school of collects that I love; a collect about prayer.

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

I think this collect teaching us four things about prayer.

1 - God is always ready to have a conversation with us. I know it says God is more ready to hear, but despite what I said at my psych evaluation, I've heard God talk back to me; and I don't think I'm crazy. God is always ready to hear AND expects us to be in the same ready state.

2 - God is willing to give us what we desire... when it is in our best interest. This is the trick part. Why is healing my friend not in my best interest? Why is getting into the right college not in my best interest? It is tough, on the front end, to see it. To be quite honest, it may never make sense, but being faithful means trusting that ultimately when God decides whether or not to intervene in a situation it is for the greater good.

3 - God knows when we are holding back. There are lots of things with which I choose not to bother God. There are times when I feel as though I'm not worthy to offer up a prayer. God knows I'm holding back; God knows what it is I need, that which I would be praying for if I trusted Him or myself enough. God forgives me for my lack of faith and hears those prayers that go unsaid.

4 - Jesus Christ makes us worthy to pray. As Christians, God hears our prayers in the name of Jesus through the advocacy of the Holy Spirit. We have part of the Godhead working with/for us in prayer. This is not to say that God doesn't hear the prayers of others; for the Jews, God hears their voices out of their chosen status. For those who don't know Him, I believe, the Holy Spirit is still at work. But for us, as Christians, it is Jesus Christ alone who makes our prayers worthy of being heard. Having been washed of our sins we can approach the holiness of God with boldness because of Jesus.

There are several collects about prayer through the course of the church year. I commend them to you to "read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest" as they can teach us a lot about what we, as Anglicans, believe about prayer.