Genesis 18:20-33
Psalm 138
Colossians 2:6-15
Luke 11:1-13
There's a story about a man who took his five-year old son with him to run errands one Saturday morning. When lunchtime arrived and they weren't done, they went to a local café to have a sandwich. When their food arrived, the father said, "We'll just have a silent prayer," and they both bowed their heads.
When Dad got through praying, he waited for his son to get done. The boy sat for a very long time with his head bowed. Finally when he raised his head, his Dad asked him what on earth he'd been praying about all that time.
With all the innocence and honesty of a child, he replied, "Daddy, it was a silent prayer. I don't know what it was about, but God does."
When I find myself at a loss for words, and my prayer life seems to be dry and sterile, I try to remember that little story. It reminds me that prayer isn't about eloquence or fancy words - and sometimes it doesn't have any words at all. It isn't about following some formula. It's about faith - faith that even when I can't find a single word to utter to my God, God will still hear my heart's desire to be in communion with God.
We Christians talk about prayer a lot. We write about prayer. We have retreats and seminars on prayer. There are studies about the impact of prayer - on everything from how well people recover from a heart attack to the degree of success people have in business ventures.
There is probably more written about how to pray than how to do just about anything else.
People often ask me - "How do I pray?" " How am I supposed to pray?" Or they will say, "I'm sure I'm not praying right." We worry and fret about prayer - as if it's something we must do correctly, as if there's a right and a wrong way to pray - and we're never sure if we've really figured it out.
Over the years in my own struggle with prayer, I'm increasingly aware that what I'm seeking is communion with God. And how I accomplish that is really not all that important.
For some of us, faithfully reading Morning Prayer in our Book of Common Prayer is the pathway to that communion. Saying good night to God with Compline every evening may be the most important part of a person's day. For some - a regular routine and pattern of prayer is essential.
Setting aside a specific time of the day to spend with God is a habit that we are often encouraged to cultivate.
But for others of us, this routine is simply not nourishing. It becomes like eating the same, boring meal of meat, potatoes and gravy that has long since lost its appeal - and its nutritional value. These folks need some spice and variety. For those of us that fall into this category, we might more easily find communion with God in an evening walk or in the beauty of Chopin's Nocturnes. We might find it in the sound of children laughing and playing outside our window on a summer afternoon. Or we might find it easier to talk to God while driving to the grocery store.
Lately, I've found communion with God in a very small, blind cat that has come to live at our house. Her name is Gracie and when I hold her and listen to her deep, rich purr as she nestles into my arms, I find myself somehow knowing that God is holding me in God's arms - and I find myself talking with God - sometimes with words as I tell God about my fears, confess my weaknesses, ask for what I think I need, and offer thanksgiving; But often I have no words. I simply enjoy the quiet companionship with God. Sometimes I just call on God's many names - Comforter, Creator, Love-maker, Almighty God, El Shadai , Holy One, Papa, Mama. With or without words, I can find communion with the Holy One - and when I do, my heart is filled with an immense gratitude that leaves me refreshed and ready to take on another day.
On those days when I do not feel that gratitude and refreshment - and there are a good many - I try to remember the wisdom of the little boy who is sure that God knows what's going on in my prayer life, even if I don't.
Our readings today give us all kinds of insight into prayer - we could spend all of the season of Pentecost exploring these scriptures and probably only scratch the surface.
But as I read and pray with today's lessons, what stands out for me is that God is ready and willing to hear us.. What we have to say, how we say it, where we say it, or even if we have anything to say at all is not as important as the act of reaching out to a God who is always waiting to listen.
When Abraham challenges God, even having the audacity to remind God that God has a duty to be just, God not only listens, God modifies God's intentions as the direct result of Abraham's petition.
Our Psalmist tell us that on the day he called out to God, God listened and answered him, giving him the strength he needed.
In the very first word of the prayer that Jesus teaches his disciples, he reminds us that God is ready and waiting to listen to us - that, in fact, he wants to hear from us. He calls God - "Father." Now the original Greek word was Abba. Actually the word "Daddy" more accurately conveys what Jesus is saying. In using this particular word, Jesus reveals the tenderness of a God who, like any good Mommy or Daddy, wants to spend time with their child, listening to their joys and fears, and desires and hopes.
Jesus says "Don't beat around the bush. Be direct. Ask for what you need. Talking to God isn't a cat-and -mouse, hide-and seek game. If your little boy's asking for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl's asking for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing - you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask for it?" *
It's said that in the court of Alexander the Great there was a philosopher of outstanding ability, but little money. He asked Alexander for financial help and was told to draw whatever he needed from the imperial treasury. But when the man requested an amount equal to $50,000, the treasurer refused to give it to him - he was sure that Alexander could not have meant to give the philosopher that much money! When he asked Alexander about it, the ruler replied, "Pay the money at once. The philosopher has done me a great honor. By the largeness of his request, he shows that he believes in both my wealth and my generosity."
So - however you pray - with words or without, informally or with the Daily Office, in a special place reserved for your time of prayer or in the car on the way to the doctor's office, alone or with your spouse/partner, or with your friend or even your cat - remember that our God is waiting to be honored by each of us - as we bring all our heart's desires and needs to God's loving tenderness and remarkable generosity.
AMEN.
* Paraphrased from: The Message: The New Testament Psalms and Proverbs In Contemporary Language