Prayer

[Gregory Matthews]

We tell people that prayer is an important part of our spiritual life.  Some go from place to place telling people how to pray. Some of our members wonder how they should structure and word their prayers to God.  I will suggest that we can talk to God in the same manner that we talk to each other.  We do not have to use stilted language.  So, to give an example, I will post below three (3) prayers that I wrote and were published in a 1997, 192 page book of prayers.  While I wrote them, fell free to comment on them.  NOTE:  All three were intended to be prayers that could be used at a dedication of something used in a clinical setting.

Dedications

1.  Surgical Suite

   It is you, oh God, who has given us this technology, the skills and our training that we intend to use in this operating suite.  With it we will open up the bodies of those you have created.   We will remove organs that no longer properly function.  We will install instruments and devices that we have crafted with our hands.  At times we will feel smug with our re-creative abilities.  Forgive us for this sin.  May we recognize that our recreation falls far short of the original.   It is you that we still need.  Bless us, and this suite, with your presence.  Allow us to be tools in your hands to enrich the lives of those patients, your people.  Amen.  Chaplain T. Gregory Matthews

    

2. Nursing Home

   God, who wants the best of life for all people, we come to you today.  It is a broken world, and your people do not have that best of life.  They suffer pain.  They face death.  Their systems shut down and malfunction, vision goes, arms and legs stop working, and minds do not think with the clarity that they once had.  Your people need the help and care of others.  That is why we are here today, oh God.  This nursing home, we dedicate to the care of those w ho once gave to us, and now need our care.  Bless it with your presence.  May all find answers, peace, and acceptance for the questions that may trouble their minds.  Give grace to those who serve you in the care of those who have given to us and this country.  May this be a place for the healing of the soul, the mind and the body.  Amen.  Chaplain T. Gregory Matthews

    

3. Chaplains’ Office

   There is truly a work that must be done here.  Telephones will be answered.  Letters will be written.  Plans will be made, evaluated, and discarded.  In all of this there will be much sitting at computers, and punching keys on typewriters.  Paper will be consumed as if by a fire.  One may ask, Where is God in all of This?  If there is to be fire, let it be of your Spirit.  For all of this must be done for your work to go forward.  That is what it takes today for your people to plan and implement.  This office will be occupied by those who work in your name.  Give them wisdom, Give them resources, oh God.  For, we need all of this.  But, above all, give them your presence.  Amen.   Chaplain T. Gregory Matthews.

    

    

 

 

 

 

 

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

I like the prayers Gregory posted.  

Public prayers that go on and on and on before the actual purpose of the prayer is even mentioned, drive me nuts.  An example of that would be when someone is asked to bless the food before a meal, and that person drones on and on about the weather, about what they did (or will do) during the day, etc, etc, etc.   I sit there and think to myself, "How long, Lord? .... "

[JoeMo]

9 hours ago, rudywoofs (Pam) said:

Public prayers that go on and on and on before the actual purpose of the prayer is even mentioned, drive me nuts.

Coincidentally, my wife and I were discussing this just yesterday.  When I pray before we have worship, my prayer is usually no longer than 3 minutes.  When she prays, it's 20 - 30 minutes.  I asked her politely to keep the lengthly begging and pleading and crying for her personal prayers; because when she goes on for 20 minutes, my mind wanders.  I have the same problem at church when one person's worship prayer lasts as long as the sermon.

[Gail]

I generally am not a big fan of a written prayer although I do think there is value in them. When I am party to another person's prayer I find that my mind get expanded to viewpoints and angles that don't occur to me otherwise.

EGW was big on keeping public prayers short, God bless her! God's brain doesn't get fatigued or "prayer ADHD," but we do very easily!

[Gregory Matthews]

I rarely write out a prayer that I am going to give in public.  When I do, it is generally either a brief outline, or a list of essential elements that I may be expected to include.

The prayers that I included in the OP were written specifically for publication in a pending book to which I had been asked to contribute.

 

[B/W Photodude]

This was a fascinating sermon on the topic of prayer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFKQaxcR9XU

I do agree that many public prayers should stick to the reason for the prayer. The way some prayers go, it would be like if someone was going to say thank you for something, they spent five minutes on a variety of other topics including the weather and their other requests. You can go anywhere in private prayer.

[pierrepaul]

I have mixed feelings about prayer. God knows our thoughts and needs, so verbalizing the prayer into imperfect human language is not for Him, it is for us. Silent private prayer is for ourselves; public prayer is for the community. I personally believe that the default is silent prayer following Matthew 6:5. Public prayer I believe is to be short and to the point. I believe also there are cultural aspects to public prayer. Certain groups in my city are inclined to lengthy public prayers; others less so. As a father I always have a thought for the young children for whom sitting (or kneeling) through a lengthy prayer taxes their patience to the maximum.

 

I am loathe to criticize anyone's prayer habits. Each approaches God in his own way, based on his own customs, experiences and spiritual walk. If one wishes to pray with a lengthy preamble citing all of God's titles, that is fine. If another keeps it short, that is fine. Matthew 6 counsels us not to pray in public for the purpose of being "heard by men"; but I am in no position to judge the motivation or the heart of those who do deliver lengthy eloquent public prayers, so their prayers are fine as well.

[pierrepaul]

19 hours ago, Gail said:

I generally am not a big fan of a written prayer although I do think there is value in them

Nor am I generally. However, many of the Psalms are written prayers; and many of our worship songs (be they hymns or other musical genres) are written and sung prayers. They are good too.

[JoeMo]

1 hour ago, pierrepaul said:

God knows our thoughts and needs, so verbalizing the prayer into imperfect human language is not for Him, it is for us.

I agree; God already knows our thoughts and needs; and that prayer is for us. Yet, God wants our prayers. To me, private prayer is about a conversation - about developing a relationship and getting to know my Creator through an intimate back-and forth.  Prayer is also reinforcement of my dependence on God to handle and control those issues that I may not be capable of handling or controlling.  That way, when the issue is resolved without my "input". I recognize and am grateful for God's handling of the issue.

1 hour ago, pierrepaul said:

many of our worship songs (be they hymns or other musical genres) are written and sung prayers. They are good too.

Amen! Great thought!  As a musician, sometimes worship music is the easiest way for me to get lost on God's presence.

[Gail]

It's funny, but I often think of written prayers as someone else's thoughts. Still, there are times when someone will say something absolutely perfectly and fitting- worth quoting!