Thursday, April 22, 2010

LIWD :: day 56 :: Prayer Divinely Explained

Prayer is the effusion of the heart in the presence of God: "I have poured out my soul before the Lord."  said the mother of Samuel.  (1 Sam. i. 15.)  The prayer of the wise men at the feet of Christ in the stable of Bethlehem, was signified by the incense they offered.

Prayer is a certain warmth of love, melting, dissolving, and sublimating the soul, and causing it to ascend unto God, and, as the soul is melted, odors rise from it; and these sweet exhalation proceed from the consuming fire of love within.

This is illustrated in the Canticles, [Song of Solomon] i. 12, where the spouse says, "While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof."  The table is the centre of the soul; and when God is there, and we know how to dwell near, and abide with Him, the sacred presence gradually dissolves the hardness of the soul, and, as it melts, fragrance issues forth; hence it is, that the Beloved says of his spouse, in seeing her soul melt when he spoke, "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness, like pillars of smoke perfumed with myrrh and frankincense?"   (Cant. [Song of Solomon] v. 6; iii. 6.)
- Madame Guyon

Prayer is the effusion of the heart in the presence of God.

Prayer is much more than just a conversation with God. Prayer is a way of growing closer to the our Creator. Prayer is way of praising our Savior. Prayer is a way of glorifying God. Of letting Him know that He is the center of our universe. That He is the center of our lives, our souls, our hearts.

When we pray, we thank God for all that He has given us. For the air we breathe, the ground we walk upon, the sun shining down on us, the rain that feeds the earth around us, the love of friends and family, the food in our bellys, the jobs that pay our bills, the beds we rest in, the phones we use to communicate with, the computers that occupy our time and simplify our lives, the tvs that entertain us...the list goes on and on.

When we pray, we ask God for forgiveness for all the wrong we do. For the snide remark we made, for the malicious thoughts we have, for the lust we feel, for the little white lie we told, for the gossip we helped to spread, for the anger we felt, for the foul language we muttered...again, the list goes on and on.

When we pray, we ask God to bless us and our loved ones. For financial stability, for health, for contentment, for patience, for peace, for love, for esteem....and once again, the list goes on and on.
When we pray, we acknowledge that Jesus is our Lord and Savior. We acknowledge that He is the Almighty, the Creator of All, that He chooses to be with us, that He is to be revered, that He deserves our praise. When we pray we are bowing down before God and giving Him the respect He deserves.

I hope that when I pray, I am praying selflessly and truly honoring my Lord. How about you?

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