18 June 2015 - meant words, not many

Jesus said to his disciples:
"In praying, do not babble like the pagans,
who think that they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them.

This is one way we can be sure that the motives of our prayer need work. If we approach prayer like people just trying to check a box on a to do list this is how we will pray. It is meant to be a response to God's love, a conversation, intimate and profound. Instead, when we do it only because we think we should we begin to act like there is some sort of direct cause whereby our prayer obligates God to act. Rather, our prayer is a humble request to which God responds, not because he must, but because he loves us. We should pray. And knowing that we should is a good reason to do so. But this should is not content with mere obligation. It points the way to all that prayer can be. To tell a significant other that we love them is vital, no doubt, and we should do it even if it is out of mere obligation. But this should reminds us of all such a statement can communicate. Prayer is the door to union with God. It is how we become partakers of his very divine nature (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4).

There are certainly options for spending our time which seem more exciting on the surface. Paul is not content to let us go off in these ways. He says, "I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God". He is jealous of the other, flashier gospels that larger than life personalities (superapostles) offer us. He can't stand to see us taken from "a sincere and pure commitment to Christ". It is as if we have said 'I love you' so many times that now we either say it without meaning it or look for something new to say. Instead of either of these, let us say 'I love you' to God with renewed commitment to Christ that is pure and sincere. May we be presented to Christ as chaste virgins who know nothing of the temptations of the world and for whom 'I love you' still bears its full weight of meaning.

How do we reawaken this romance with God in our hearts? We must simply look again to the bridegroom. We must simply let our hearts behold all that he is. This is why Jesus teaches us to begin our prayer with the words, "Our Father". We recognize the one to whom we speak before we ask anything at all. Love will surely be our response.

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.