Prayer Is Not Boring

for Sunday, September 30, 2012
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
18th Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 21
lectionary focus: James 5:13-20

Good morning.

At different times in our church service, we say different kinds of prayers. At the start of church, we pray to say hello to God. Then we pray to ask forgiveness for the mistakes we have made. When we listen to God’s Word read and proclaimed, we pray for understanding. We pray for our friends and neighbors. We say prayers of thanksgiving for all of our blessings. And when we leave each Sunday, we pray for God to go with us. We also pray at home and school and throughout the week. We say prayers before we eat and before we go to bed. We pray when we feel bad and when we feel Yeehaw good. (You can substitute any colloquial term of joy.) We pray when we are scared and when we need help. In some of our prayers, we ask for things. In some of our prayers, we share things.

There are many different times to pray and many different kinds of prayers. But there is just one reason that we pray. We pray to be close to God. Prayer is how we talk with God. And God wants you to talk to Him. God wants to know how you feel and what you think. God wants you to tell Him what you like and what you don’t like. God wants to hear you tell Him your story.

In our Bible story today, we hear about the power of prayer. But prayer is not a wish list of things you want God to give you. Prayer is not a race. Prayer is not a guarantee. And certainly prayer is not boring. Prayer is boldly sharing your heart and mind with God. Prayer is an action for building your relationship with God. So wherever and whenever you pray, talk to God with all of your heart and mind; honestly share who you are; and enjoy growing closer to God.

Will you pray with me? (This is an echo prayer: the leader says a line and the children repeat it back.)

Dear Lord,
Thank You
for prayer.
Help me
to share with You
my heart and mind
so I can be close to You.
Yeehaw.
Amen

We are not Christians alone.
My mission is to share, inspire, and encourage.