<"We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself
intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Romans 8:26b

Prior to eating my breakfast, I like to start my mornings with prayer. During this time of the year, I go to the screened porch at the rear of our home. At this early hour, it is so peaceful there. The only sound is the melodious song of birds. Rested from a night of sleep, I can match the peace of the surroundings and give full attention to praying. I always start by thanking God for giving me another day of life to spend in the beautiful world he created and asking for guidance in how to use the day. I move on to thank God for many other blessings showered on me and sometimes ask for solutions to my personal needs. Then I change to a litany of prayers for the needs of others. I start with my family, and then branch out to prayers for my friends, neighbors, members of our church, and include acquaintances, as well as people who have asked me to pray for them, others whom I have told I would pray for them, and ending by praying for people around the world who are victims of natural and man-made tragedies. Typically I end by praying for peace among all people throughout the world.
 
My prayer life mirrors other actions in my life. I like structure. But you know, sometimes by the time I get to the end of my structured time of prayer I find I am exhausted and am no longer enjoying the peaceful morning. It is because I have been too involved planning God’s day! I have been telling him, do this and do that and don’t forget. I have been trying to boss God around to doing things my way in the time I want things done – very tiring work indeed.
 
Lately, I am trying to do better and practice remembering a sermon I heard recently. That sermon was based on the theme that prayer is not only a time for speaking to God but also a time for God to speak to me. I need to be still and listen! God wants to speak to me as much as I want to speak to him. And, as Father Tim, the Episcopal priest in Jan Karon’s Mitford novels says, “Include in each prayer session the best prayer of all, Thy will be done.”
 
Lord, help me to make prayer a true sharing time with you rather than a string of requests. Lead me to hear you speaking to me rather than making our time of prayer a one-way conversation. Guide me to respond in the ways you propose rather than for me telling you how to answer my prayers. Push me toward finding your responses to my prayers rather than simply looking for the way I wanted my prayers answered. Amen

Contributed by Nancy
Monday July 23, 2011
Liturgical Year A: Week 35
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading:
Lectionary 17 (Proper 12)
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost