Praying in the Spirit

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Ephesians 6: 18a

"I don't know how to pray," is Dylan's response every time we ask him to say a prayer.  "It's just talking, Dylan...it's just a conversation," we would tell him.  "Yeah...but, I don't know what to say?!" Is what Dylan inevitably responds to our pep talk...but he won't budge, and someone else ends up saying the prayer...sigh...

Dylan is not the only one feeling insecure about praying, especially aloud, around other people.  I have also, often, avoided it.  I am very self conscious about speaking in public, especially in English...so...I shy away from praying aloud because it makes me feel vulnerable....I just don't know what to say or how to say it.  Some people have such gift for prayer.  Listening to them alone is a blessing.  And here I come...tripping over my words...mispronouncing them...having mental gaps...sigh...

The thing is, I keep forgetting that prayer is not about me.

It does not matter if I am not eloquent, vivid or grandiose.  What matters is that I am in the Spirit when I pray.  What's important is that I am one with the Holy Spirit as I allow His guidance in prayer flow through me to create perfect communication and community.  It is not me...it is Him!

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. Romans 8: 26

When we pray in the Spirit, it is the Spirit who speaks.  He uses our voices, our weaknesses, our hurdles, our anxiety, our personalities, our gifts to express what we ought to say, but don't know.  When we consciously and intentionally place ourselves in the presence of the Holy Spirit by invoking Him before we pray, what results is an empowering communion with our source of strength.  Regardless of what it might sound like, our prayers are powerful because we are in the Spirit!  

Jesus Himself told us not to be full of ourselves when we pray.  Indeed, Jesus gave us a full lesson on prayer in Matthew 6: 5-13

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

10 your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one."

This is all we need to know about prayer.  Jesus Himself taught it to us.  I just love Him so much!  Verse 7 makes me chuckle...as it shows very clearly it is not about me.

Last night Dylan surprised me.  I was trying to wrap up my endless work "to do" list, when Dylan came in and asked me if we could pray.  Of course I got irritated: "why don't you ask your Dad?  He is upstairs doing nothing.  I'm working here! Tell me you understand what I'm saying.  I want to know if you understand!"  Of course I immediately felt guilty...sigh... "I'm sorry...I just...OK, you pray!" I said.

Then, for the first time ever, without saying anything to try to get out of it, Dylan began to speak:  "Dear Lord, thank you for my Mom's birthday.  Thank you for her 52, 53, 54 years...and I pray you give her many, many years more...and that she can live infinitely with You someday. Amen" 

Yeah... happy slap on the face to me...

I gave him a hug and and he said, "I blanked out when I was going to say your age...I forgot how old you were!"  We both laughed, and I praised God for my little boy and asked for forgiveness for my wretched heart.  

I pray, we learn to be in the Spirit always so He can guide us in all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  In His Precious Name, Amen!