Lenten Devotions

Friday, February 22

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 5: 26-27

The people I know who seem to pray the best, with consistency and trust and devotion and love, consider themselves to be infants at prayer. They are profoundly aware of all they have to learn about prayer, of all the sweetness they have yet to taste, of all the mysteries that are yet to be unfolded. There are whole universes of knowledge and experiences to be explored about prayer.

Sometimes it is important to approach our prayer with nothing but humility. We do not know how to pray as we should. So, God, you do it. Give me words. Or, let me just sit here. Speak to me, or be with me in the silence. Let me rest in you, and we’ll see what happens.

It is good to experiment with new ways of praying, to read books about prayer, to ask questions about prayer, simply to pray in whatever ways work. It is good to pray, for in praying we seek the face of God and learn to love. We are not left alone in prayer. Not ever.

An exercise you might try

“You could pray the Jesus prayer. This is an Eastern Orthodox prayer that is repeated over and over to still our spirits and to open our souls to Christ. Get a bead necklace, a set of Eastern Orthodox prayer beads, a rosary, a string of pearls, or a string of Mardi Gras beads! Sit quietly, holding the beads. Hold one bead and say the Jesus Prayer once, breathing slowly in and out as you think the words, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.’ Move to the next bead and think the prayer again, slowly, in time with your breathing. Pray the prayer with your beads for 5 or 10 or 15 minutes each day for a week.” (Martha Grace Reese, Unbinding the Gospel, 69)

For more information or to continue the conversation, write to Katie at katherinekinnison@covenantpcusa.org.

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