Let's Talk

I recently drove to a conference with a friend. Though we work together, our schedules are both incredibly full; therefore we do not get to visit very often. So as we were driving, we got to talk: we talked about life, our classes, things coming up in both our department and on campus, trips, goals, and more. It was a thoroughly enjoyable time.

At the conference, I saw other colleagues and friends. It was fun getting to catch up and talk shop with those I haven't seen in quite a while. I also met some people for the first time. It's interesting to note how the pace of conversation changes between catching up with an old friend and meeting someone for the first time. The conversation moves, both people involved in a verbal give and take, each one listening and contributing.

As we start a new month, I do not want to begin by overcomplicating things. Prayer, you see, is a conversation. It is a dialogue between us- individually or corporately- and the Creator of the universe. It is opportunity for us to talk, but more importantly for us to listen. We need to hear His voice and be able to respond to Him.

At the same time, prayer is a vast subject in theory and in practice. This is the reason why we will be spending several weeks looking further at it. In his book A Short Method of Prayer, Guyon opens by saying that "Prayer is nothing else but the application of the heart to God, and the interior exercise of love" (107/788). A bit further in the text he says that it "alone can bring you into His presence, and keep you there continually. What we need, then, is an attitude of prayer, in which we can constantly abide, and out of which exterior occupations cannot draw us..." (129/778). 

It is my hope that, as we work in coming weeks, we could learn to truly converse with God. I am no expert, but am still striving alongside you to know Him better through prayer. Next week we will look at prayer in the Old Testament era. Until we meet again, our challenge is to pray. Let's converse with God and let those conversations change us.

Bibliography

J. M. B. de La Mothe Guyon, A Short Method of Prayer and Spiritual Torrents. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Low, & Searle, 1875. Kindle.