WHEN WE PRAY

How do you pray?  How do you worship?

Simple questions.  These are gateways to our Communion with God, and a lot depends on “how to.”

As I observe and participate in communal life of the church there are four evident misconceptions about Prayer and Worship.

1.      Classroom – where worship is learning, and we evaluate what goes on by how much knowledge we gain.  Even from prayers, which often sound as lectures.  You’ve heard those prayers, that sound more as doctrinal sermons.  Worship and Prayer becomes God’s homework.  Knowing is important, it is a prelude to worship and prayer.  But listing all we know and think is neither worship nor prayer.

2.      Evangelistic tent – proclamation through prayer and worship that puts sinners on a guilt trip and invites or suggests them to repent, convert, change.  Evangelism itself is vital, but it should be result of prayer and worship.  When we meet God in prayer and worship and He inspires and empowers us to invite others into the Joy of Communion, then we evangelise.

3.      Psychological couch – expecting God to meet our emotional and psychological needs.  The worship sermon is seen as a kind of mass counselling, and the personal prayer is either do-it-yourself therapy or another counselling session.   It is true that faith heals people emotionally. 

4.      Spectator’s theatre – where people in the audience watch “pros” perform.  We evaluate the best “prayers” and best “worshippers.  We cheer those who do well, and criticize those who do poorly, unprepared.  How many have never prayed in public worship?  How many only listen watch and wish?

We need to return to Biblical paradigm of Worship and Prayer which is all-participatory and stems from our “prostration” (not frustration) before the King of the Universe.  Worship and Prayer can be used interchangeably as terms, meaning bowing face down, desperate to encounter the One we Seek after. 

Have you ever prostrated yourself before someone?  It breaks the pride inside.  I am not suggesting we do it in this room together – there is no place for it.  Kneeling is sufficient in the public place.  But try it at home – praying prostrate before God, maintain that bodily position to let the mind begin to grasp what it is saying about Who God is.

As we admit our unworthiness and celebrate God’s grace to us in prayer, we receive blessings as a fruit of such worship.   Today I invite you to give a fresh start to your life of Prayer as Worship.