February 15, 2004, Number 6 of 7 in the Series: FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

The question for this morning is "How do I talk to God?" The first thing I need to say is that if we are talking about prayer, we must talk about a two way conversation; speaking and listening. "How do I talk to God?" is an important question, but even more important is the question "How do I listen for God?"

If the truth be told, much that is called "prayer" is really a one way conversation wherein we address our concerns, our hopes, our fears and our needs to God. I am sure that there is some therapeutic value in doing that. But that will not light the divine spark within us, it will not open us up to the life-giving, dynamic relationship that we need. So perhaps a more relevant question is "How do I establish a life giving relationship with God?"

But let me make some very general observations about prayer. Prayer is the very cardiopulmonary system of the religious life. It is the mechanism by which the very life of God infuses our very being, bringing life and the wondrous power that animates us as Christians.

Prayer is a subject upon which countless words have been spoken and written. There must be a thousand different ways to describe prayer and at least a thousand ways to preach this sermon. So I have to struggle with the question as to what would be most helpful to us as a congregation.

I want to make an observation about the American mind set and the expectations we bring to any endeavor. It seems to me that we have a fascination with complexity and with knowing and doing. It seems that we are going to take anything seriously we have the expectation that there must be a complex, detailed methodology involved if we are going to have any chance in succeeding. We are almost suspicious of anything that does not provide a complex method to succeed, a method which we must know and things that we must do if we are to succeed.

For example, do you have any idea how many books on dieting you will find at the local bookstore? Thousands! Each title touts it's own esoteric secrets and methodology to succeed at loosing weight and becoming more healthy.

When people ask me about how to loose weight I tell them I have four words for them: "Eat Less, Exercise More." And then I watch to see their faces register a look of disappointment and bewilderment and they say: "It's that simple?" Only one person has had the honesty to say to me: "But I don't like those four words."

It's the same thing with prayer. We seem to need complexity and a lot of doing, otherwise we are suspicious and a bit incredulous.

But there is no complex methodology to prayer, there is nothing secret that you have to master, there is nothing arduous that you have to do or accomplish. All that is necessary is to open your sails and set them in the right direction, and the breath of God will fill them with the Spirit. But, in order to satisfy that need for method and doing, I will frame what I have to say under three headings.

First, accustom yourself to walk in the presence of God.

This is perhaps the most challenging task in achieving a life of prayer. As I have said in this series before: there is no spiritual life if there is no silence, and we live in the midst of a world filled with noise. The distraction of noise has become so much a part of our lives that we don't even notice it. And on those rare moments when we find ourselves in the midst of genuine quiet, we will seek to distract ourselves by creating noise. There is the constant chatter of countless meaningless conversations.

And, when we achieve an outer silence, there is the challenge of silencing the noise within. If you close your eyes for a moment you will in all likelihood discover yourself submerged in a sea of thoughts that you are powerless to stop . . . talk, talk, talk. (For that is what thinking generally is, me talking to myself) — noise, noise, noise; my own inner voice competing with the remembered voices and images of others, all clamoring for my attention. What chance does the subtle voice of God stand in all this din and bustle? Your tolerance of silence is a fairly good indicator of your spiritual depth and, I think, even of your intellectual and emotional depth.

As long as there are ripples on the surface of a pond, nothing can be reflected properly; neither the sky, nor the trees. When the surface is still, then everything is reflected perfectly, the sky and the trees are all perfectly reflected.

As long as the mud has not settled to the bottom of a pond, the water is not clear and you can see nothing through it.

As long as the soul is not settled there can be no vision. But, when the stillness has brought us into the presence of God, then we will see a reflection of the image of God perfectly and receive a vision that will empower us.

Second, keep remembrance of God. This is about praying with words. We don't need a lot of prayers, we don't need long prayers but what we do need is heart felt prayers. Inhabit a few prayers with regularity, but inhabit them, inhale them, feed upon them, live in them, feel them. In doing so they will keep you in perpetual remembrance of God.

It seems to me that the words of prayers provide us the way to keep the remembrance of God, so that we can ascend, again and again, into the silence of prayer.

I think this is what the Greek mystics meant when they spoke of the holy silence of prayer as both the starting point and the end of prayer. It is the starting point, for without it genuine prayer has no chance. And, it is the end because after the words of prayer bring to us the remembrance of God, then we can ascend to the holy silence of prayer.

And finally, develop a sense of reverence. The dictionary defines reverence as "honor and respect mixed with love and awe." This means to develop a sense of the holy within all aspects of life. For those who are gifted with the vision of God there is nothing here that is profane, and all is holy. This is what it means to develop a sense of reverence:

• To generate within ourselves a spirit of humility, hospitality and generosity toward God and each other.
• To embrace the widest spectrum of life's beauty and pain.
• To acknowledge the creation of all people in the image and likeness of God.
• It is to approach life as a divine mystery into which we joyously and generously live.

This is my humble offering on the mysterious and profound blessing of prayer:

. . . accustom yourself to walk in the presence of God

. . . keep remembrance of God

. . . develop a sense of reverence . . . Amen.

Eldon J. Simpson, Pastor