prayer

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Prayer is a Two-way Conversation (Part 2)

This is the conclusion of part 1 that I posted last week.

Now that I’ve laid out my case for God’s desiring a two-way conversation with us, rather than a monologue, it’s time for some hard questions. How do we go about achieving this ideal? How can we listen to God? How do we know it’s Him speaking?

God is the initiator of the relationship we have with Him. Immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, and hid from God, He came looking for them. Genesis 3, verse 9 is the beginning of a long dialog among Adam, Eve, and God: “But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’”  Even though Adam and Eve had sinned, God still wanted their company—and God still pursues us today.

I’m grateful that God wants to talk to me so much that He’ll go to great lengths to do so. Think how foolish Balaam must have felt, when God had to speak to him through his donkey! I certainly don’t want to take after Balaam. Since Jesus died to restore my relationship with God, I want to make it easy for Him! I want to open my ears and eagerly join the conversation.

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Prayer is a Two-way Conversation (Part 1)

Recently, I spent an entire day in prayer. A very close friend was having serious surgery, and I felt compelled to wait before God on her behalf. Not so many years ago, I would have been unable to maintain an attitude of prayer for anywhere close to an hour, much less a day. While I would have had the same good intentions, I just couldn’t think of that much to say to God. Then I realized that prayer is a two-way conversation.

A few days later, I was discussing this with another friend:

Friend: I hate repeating myself in prayer. That’s why I don’t do as much of it as others. One reason, at any rate. I either find myself quickly addressing all the things on my heart and then ending the call, so to speak, or I keep digging and stretching and reaching for little things and obscure people to bring up, just to meet some bizarre prayer length quota.

Me: Try listening instead of talking; it’s very hard to have a one-way conversation with anyone.

Friend: I already feel like I’m talking to the ceiling. There’s never been much to hear. Sorry, but revelation is not for me.

Me: Sorry, I refuse to believe that. But listening is a learned skill, and you might need practice.

Does God, who must be awfully busy running the universe, actually talk to us? All of us? Or was this person right in assuming they just weren’t special enough to hear from God?

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An Oasis in the Desert

How many times have you laid in bed, staring upward, trying to pray, but feeling that your thoughts are being absorbed by the ceiling? Or you’re diligently reading through your Bible, hoping the Holy Spirit will speak to you, but all you get are meaningless phrases, and you’re not even in the genealogies? You’re praying, you’re reading, you’re listening, begging, for some sign of life, but all you get is silence?

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. When I committed to writing this blog, I realized that I was going out on a limb. Because, more importantly than the recipes, media reviews, and hopefully helpful advice, I want to share my walk with God. A hundred years from now it won’t matter how the carrot cake tasted, or even what our credit rating was. Our relationship with God is eternal .

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