the discipline of prayer

In order to give the greatest benefit, the discipline of Daily Prayer
needs to be carried out whether we feel like it or not, whether our heart is in it or not.

This is from a book I read recently called Praying with the Church; an introduction to prayer in daily life by Rev Phillip Pfatteicher. His words ring true in all of life, really, but especially so in our individual and corporate life of prayer. If we are Christ's disciples, then we pray. It is just who we are--we were made for this activity, this speaking with our heavenly Father.

It's kind of like eating. Your body was made for eating, it's just who you are as a human being. You don't eat, you will soon cease to have physical, human life. We eat whether we want to or not, whether or not we "feel like it".

So also we pray, as Pr Pfatteicher explains, "whether we feel like it or not". Luther also said similar things about prayer. I'm paraphrasing him, but it was something like this: "the moment we least feel the desire or need to pray, is the very moment when we most need to pray."

So, pray. Pray in the morning when you rise and in the evening when you lay down. (See the catechism for a short form of prayer to use at these times; and don't forget to make the sign of the cross in remembrance of your baptism--it's what Lutherans do, we remember our baptism!) Pray also with your family or those in your household (if you live alone now, know that you are praying with Jesus and the Holy Spirit is praying in you, and the saints and angels in heaven are praying for you, not to mention that your pastor is praying for you each week). And come also and pray with us, often--weekly, and even more often than that if there is the opportunity.

Pray; whether you feel like it or not. Make it a constant in your life, whether it is meaningful or not. It is meaningful and real.

+PH