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A couple of weeks ago we all wrote down a prayer concern during church service, put it in a basket and then at the end of service, drew one out that someone else had written. We were asked to pray for that concern of another in the congregation during the week to come. I’m still praying for that concern. It lingers with me. A good spiritual practice. I’m touched by this way of being in community with others, and how that prayer changed me.

Barbara Brown Taylor, priest and author, offers a deeper perspective of prayer. “Prayer is happening  and not necessarily something that I am doing. God is happening and I’m lucky enough to know that I am in The Midst.” As we prayed for each other’s concerns, God was already with us and praying with us.

Read that quote again. Notice. What questions arise? Does it alter how you place yourself with God in prayer? Is God up there and you’re down here? Or can you feel God praying with you, prayer already happening?

 

Pastor Marcia Wakeland is a retired ELCA pastor, a spiritual director and a listening advocate. She is interested in the actual experience of having faith and how that is lived out. She can be reached at mwakeland@gmail.com for comments or more questions Her ongoing blog of living out spiritual practices is listeninglife.live.