Monday, March 14, 2011
Musings on Prayer
This coming Sunday both Pete and I have to speak on prayer in church. I found out two Sundays ago, and so I have been thinking about the topic a lot. I can't decide where to go with it. I have thought about addressing the importance of recognizing when the Lord answers our prayers, how prayers of faith proceed miracles, the language or prayer, the importance of prayers of gratitude but I just can't seem to find a clear path through the topic. So dear friends who read my blog...any thoughts. I guess tell me why prayer is important to you, what makes your prayers meaningful, what blessings have come into your life because of prayer etc...maybe one of you will be the means of directing my thoughts in the way I should go.
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6 comments:
Mont has been folding his arms and trying to close his eyes and bow his head (copying us) for a couple of weeks now and I think it's an adorable wonder. He's only 19 months, and as far as I can see at church, he's the youngest that does it (maybe your kids were genius and doing it lots earlier!). But the only thing I can think of as to why he might enjoy doing this, is because he likes prayer... I think he likes the peace and the feeling that it invokes. Prayer is a time to connect to Heavenly Father through our advocate who is Christ. It is a sacred moment, and I think Mont recognizes the reverence for what it is: a moment of peace.
For me, prayer is the means in which I can communicate with my Father in Heaven about ANYTHING! Living overseas I can't always pick up the phone and call my earthly father but I can always "pick up the phone" and call my Heavenly Father. I know that He is always listening and as long as I am willing to listen (just as I would do to my earthly father) He will talk back to me in some way.
My Father in Heaven loved me enough to send me to this earth. If I was not here, I would not be able to make the decisions I need to make to be able to live with Him again. He also blessed me with free agency and with that blessing, I have to come to Him in prayer. He can't force me. It is my choice. Have you seen the picture with Christ knocking at the door? Prayer works the same way. He is there, waiting for me, but until I "open the door" by saying a prayer, He cannot come in.
I once heard someone tell me that when they say their morning prayer, they do not end with "Amen". Instead, they leave the prayer open so they can pray continually throughout the day. At first this was a strange concept to me but the more I think about it and work on praying continually, the more I find myself becoming more Christlike in little ways. I am more patient with my children when I am in the middle of a prayer. I am more cautious about the words exiting my mouth when I am in the middle of my prayer.
I don't know if any of that helps. Good luck on your talk this weekend!
Lately in my lessons and talks I've been trying to draw things back to the plan of salvation, so you can talk about how loving Heavenly Father is and how prayer is one of the gifts He's given us to help us return to him, and how Satan tries his hardest to keep us from praying for the same reason. Just an idea. I think drawing back to the Plan of Salvation is good for investigators, new members and old members alike.
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=0219862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=198bf4b13819d110VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD
Well...I like this from the Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball manual. Good stuff in there. Good luck finding a direction. Maybe you should pray about it? ;)
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