Prayer: 3 New Flavors

Broadcast prayer

The frequent melodic reminders echoing from mosques declare that God’s praise and adoration always trump the schedule of daily life. Radio stations sing the recitation of scripture 24/7. Although I understand no Arabic, I’m told that virtually every other sentence contains words that reference God. Perhaps this daily weaving of prayer into the fabric of life could be critiqued as too habitual, or commonplace. But cynicism aside, could there be a better habit?

Iphone prayer  

On the off chance that you are in a soundproof basement wearing earplugs and can’t hear the call to prayer, fear not, technology saves the day! The background of my friend Arazoo’s phone faithfully recounts each day’s times of prayer, outlining sunrise to sunset. I look at my phone and am reminded of places to be or tasks to do. I think I would live my day very differently if every cursory glance instead reminded me that my time is not my own. Prayer: there’s an app for that.

Climate Control prayer

Last week during the Remedy Mission, the AC went out in the OR.  A rotation of water bottles attempted to keep children’s body temperature under control, and if there already wasn’t enough to worry about, the doctors painstakingly fought to keep sweat out of the surgical field. Back in the office, we received a text asking for prayer, and shot up some recommendations to God regarding the AC.

“Why pray for this?” the logical half of my brain wondered. “I believe God works, but probably through a repairman’s skills more than my 5 second request.”

In our Saturday morning prayer time, I’m struggling to learn that prayer is a conversation, and even more than that, a partnership.

So here’s my latest guess at why it may not be so far-fetched that our prayers matter (just far-fetched enough to require the frustratingly wonderful thing call faith); We KNOW what God is doing in this world, big picture. At the end (or beginning, you could say) He will put things right, returning the world to its operation as intended. But we don’t have to wait around and twiddle our thumbs until the Apocalypse for Him to do something. God’s remaking NOW, and although he could do it much more efficiently without us, he invites us to join in. We already know the big picture of his Kingdom….so why not pray and ask for it to happen HERE and NOW, in our circumstances…in a fixed AC, and a fixed heart?

The AC almost instantly came back on, but my point is not to tell a cute story, demonstrating how my new understanding of prayer makes it “work.” That wouldn't be a conversation at all! I cheat God out of his side of the conversation when I only listen for “Yes” and “No” answers. And I also squander the gift of partnership he extends when I forget that prayer has more power than to just calm my heart, or bless this food. God allows a surgeon’s skill to accomplish His plan in real ways, repairing hearts to beat as intended. Why wouldn’t he also let prayer have tangible impact in this world?

I could write about 100 more “flavors” of prayer I've witnessed here that would involve more question marks than periods. And if anything I just wrote makes it seem like I have a handle on any of this, I apologize for having deceived you! Fortunately, God holds up his side of the conversation and partnership with incredible patience and grace…and sometimes, even timely AC repairs.