Pilgrim Uniting Church

Sometimes prayer has the capacity to surprise us. A very dignified pastor was visiting a lady in a nursing home who was confined to a wheelchair. As he stood to leave, the lady asked him to have a word of prayer. He gently took her hand and prayed that God would be with her to bring her comfort, strength and healing.

When he finished praying, her face began to glow. She said softly, "Pastor, would you help me to my feet?"

At first, she took a few uncertain steps. Then she began to jump up and down, then to dance and shout and cry with happiness until the whole nursing home was aroused

After she was quieted, the solemn pastor hurried out to his car, closed the door, grabbed hold of the steering wheel and prayed this little prayer: "Lord, don't you ever do that to me again!" [2].

The topic of prayer is wide and vast. And somewhat like jelly you try to grab it in your hands and when you squeeze it to get a grip on it, it slips through. But it does leave a residue behind.

Prayer can be in words spoken and unspoken, sung or contemplated, with eyes open or eyes closed, head bowed or head up, hand apart or hands together, on your knees or standing, lying down or sitting up, in a car, bus, in your house, on your bike, in a plane on a boat, with others or by yourself, anytime during the night or day.

Prayers can be confessional, in thanksgiving, in supplication, adoration (look at these in the final sermon on prayer).

Prayer: How Not To Waste Your Time. I think that one point about prayer is prayer has to do with a relationship with God. And like all important relationships in our lives they take work. You have to work at it.

In the movie Evan Almighty God/Freeman assures Evan, "Whatever I do, I do because I love you.’’ It takes some time for Evan to trust in that promise but the underlying message of Evan Almighty is the love of God. It focuses on the importance of trusting God, even when it means going outside your comfort zone,

A bit later in the film, God/Freeman offers this explanation of the way God works. He explains when people pray for patience, courage or a closer family, they want the end result rather than opportunities to develop those virtues and strengthen character.

`If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does God give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does God give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does God give them opportunities to love each other?’’

God doesn’t send us patience. We experience moments that make us practice being patient, over and over again, until we get the message[3].

Prayer is ‘being available’ and aren’t we available to people in our lives? I guess the same is true in prayer being available to God.

Prayer changes us and may change the way we look at a certain situation (Acts 10:9-16)

Expression of what’s in our hearts. Getting it off your chest is therapeutic in itself.

Prayer as an individual and as a group. Sometimes people say, ‘I can’t pray outloud’. I think that what they are trying to say is that they are very conscious of what they are saying outloud. I wonder if prayer is not so much about the words but about the intention.

People pray for all sorts of things: (Show Powerpoint: Kids Prayers[4]) People pray about and for: healing, peace, money, justice, mercy, hope, a situation to work out, forgiveness, family, friends, unknown people, comfort, love, hatred (something to happen to someone else), natural disasters, weather, bargaining if you do this God then I’ll do that. At times people pray as if they are in control of God.

Prayer, how not to waste your time. After Peter had prayed he was changed. Prayer changes us. May we learn and grow and change through prayer Amen.

[1] M Scott Peck, A World Waiting to Be Born: Civility Rediscovered, Bantam Books, New York, 1993, Prayer: How not to waste your time, p81-95.

[2] Stories for Preachers (CD)

[3] Brian Patterson, ‘Faithworks’ in Herald Sun 25-5-08

[4] http://jmm.aaa.net.au/

This message was preached at
by Rev Darryn Hickling of Pilgrim Uniting Church, Doncaster,
20 Westfield Drive Doncaster 3108.
Phone: 9889 1138 Mobile: 0403 265 342
darrynhickling@pilgrimuca.org.au
www.pilgrimuca.org.au

Enquiries about the Christian faith are always welcome.