This is the beginning of a series of blogs written to help open up and deepen our understanding of our relationship with God and how we can grow closer to God.
What Prayer Is:
Thomas Merton, a Cistercian monk, once wrote “that at the deepest center of our prayer we will not find communication but communion.” Prayer is a mysterious communion with a hidden God. Yet, somehow in the very depths of our being we experience God. That God is with us, residing within us, guiding us, transforming us into His own likeness. Prayer is relationship and this relationship is based on love. This relationship of love takes nurturing and by this I mean opening one’s heart and mind in faith to the movements of our hidden God. It requires of us a dialogue between two, the human person and God. It requires free will and humbleness on our part. Each of us has the opportunity to say no to this communion with God. Jesus has a powerful parable about the seed which is His Word planted on different types of soil. The first soil is where the devil comes and quickly takes away the Word. I believe this can happen because one is not serious about seeking a committed life with God. Next there is soil on rocky ground, perhaps this one might be living to superfically. Then there is the seed among thorns, in which worldly concerns dominate one’s life. Finally, there is good soil where the Word takes root and flourishes. The life of prayer begins to grow in the good soil I believe because those who are seeking are seeking with enthusiasm and right intention.
End of the first in this series.
Peace and Goodness to each of you.
Bro. Mark