and when you pray

This morning started like most of my mornings: eat breakfast, watch the news, grab a cup of coffee, and head down to the office. I usually read up on world news, technology news, my daily comics and a few blogs while I drink my coffee before I get to work. Sometimes its a busy morning and I have to jump right into the fray while drinking my coffee, which makes for difficult coffee enjoyment. However, this morning was a little different - as I drank my coffee, a persistent thought crept into the forefront of my mind. In a moment of realization of the blatantly obvious, it dawned on me how ingrained coffee has become in many of our lives. It is part of a morning ritual, sometimes an after dinner indulgence, a quick pick me up on a cold or dreary day, it is an inescapable part of our lives (unless you drink tea of course, but same rules do apply).

So why is it that for some of us, coffee is a bigger part of our lives than prayer? I'll raise my hand, stand up and profess that I don't pray that often. I've gotten better recently, and I try to take time during communion and reflect on current events that are affecting friends, family, loved ones, and people in dire need (such as the people of southeast Asia). Sometimes I think part of the problem is that I don't feel that God needs or wants to hear me talk with him about the same things over and over. I'm certain He knows the concerns of my heart don't dissipate in a 24 hour period, such as the continued health and well-being of my friends and family. I'm sure he knows that if I pray to Him that the people affected by recent earthquakes and tsunami's will experience His love and grace through the actions and efforts of aid workers, that it is something that stays with me for months. I guess for me, these types of things that we often pray are a given, like the current events, neutral ground small talk topics we bring up in dinner conversations. I think Jesus knew this, his prayers were emotional and hit right at the heart of the matter - prayer is personal, it is a heart to heart talk with someone who's shoulder can support your weight and catch your tears. Jesus prayed about things that affected him on a personal level: asking for another way, asking for strength to do God's will. Even the Lord's Prayer has certain aspects of this, when taken in as a whole it is a prayer asking for the strength and willpower to do the work that God asks of us. Sure, it is good to still pray about the conversational things, if we didn't it would be like turning our backs on them. However, unlike the news, I just don't think it needs to be front page material for months on end. Would you pray with me?

Lord, you know the concerns of my heart and I trust that you will be there every step of the way helping and watching over those that I love and empathize with. I pray that wherever our journey takes us and no matter the outcomes, your comforting presence will be with us always to keep our spirits up and hope alive during the difficult times. I am in difficult times now; I feel your love inside and coming through friends and family, and it keeps me going. I can hear you calling me, and at times the parts I understand scare me because I know your will and what I must do... but I am afraid. Guide me and give me the strength, courage, and resources to do what I must, because I cannot do it alone.

Amen

Ahem *composes himself*... now, about that second cup of coffee....