prayer

I have been struggling with prayer alot lately. Ok, ok...for most of my life. I have always had respect and awe for those whom I see as "prayer warriors": those people who just are compelled to spend so much time in prayer, listening to God, etc. My struggle has not so much been, "is there a point to prayer?", but instead, "I just don't really feel like praying about everything." I even catch myself feeling guilty when I talk to one of these "warriors" (like my momma...dang, she sure qualifies, and I am grateful). Sometimes I even get "defensive" if I fear others are judging how I pray, the sincerity of my prayers (there have been a few "family dinner" episodes where it seemed my short-and-to the point-prayers were not "real"). So, what is at the heart of what prayer should be, whether you are verbose, quiet and contemplative, short and sweet, or even "pray on the go" (something I seem to be better at)? For that discussion, I start by quoting...a Rush song...

You can surrender without a prayer,
But never really pray... pray without surrender— “Resist”, by the band Rush

Ok, so right now you are either thinking:
A) He did NOT just quote the band “Rush”?
B) Rush! Sweet! I need to go listen to that old mix tape with “Tom Sawyer” on it!
C) Who the heck is Rush? Is that some band my dad used to like in high school when he drove a Trans Am?

Whatever your answer, you must admit that the above lyric is quite profound and true with a capital “T”. Do we really understand what it means to surrender? I think we often consider our attempts to acknowledge God, to pray occasionally for stuff, and to attend church (among other things) as “surrendering to Him”, but in truth, I doubt any of that comes close. When an army surrenders, they give up. They place themselves in the hands of their opponent. They essentially say, “Here we are, we are now under your control. Whether you claim us or kill us, it is up to you.” This is how we must be to the Lord of All. We must give up ourselves and say, “I surrender my desires, my plans, my hopes to You. Do with me as You will.”

This is such a mysterious concept. Too often when I pray, I wonder, "So, am I praying like I believe that this will change God's mind?" Or, do I affirm that I believe that God is sovereign and in control of all things, sees past, present, and future as one, and then wonder, "So...if God is sovereign ("in charge"), then what is the point of conversing and listening to Him?" When I get confused, I have to look to Jesus. One of my favorite examples of "when in doubt, pray like this", is John 17. The whole chapter. Go ahead, read it... So selfless...so loving...so "God-praising"...so caring...so grateful...so much surrender.

Our challenge is to look at prayer as surrender. Surrendering our fears, will, and even our selfish desires to the Creator of All Things. Because like Geddy, Neil, and Alex have told us in the lyrics above to "Resist", prayer doesn't matter without surrender. There is no formula, so if you are a, "spend an hour in silence every morning-type", a "pray for every need that is on your heart-type", or even a "pray on the fly-type", just make sure the main focus is a total surrender to the Lord.