Most of us know how to pray. We thank God for stuff, ask God for stuff, or share our fears, concern, or joys with God. Prayer seems to work equally well for those who are professionals in the field of religion as it does for those who are not. Having said all this, we usually tend to think of prayer as a transaction - something we do at specific times and places.

I'd like to consider an additional way to think about prayer - that prayer is a journey. The image of journey with regard to prayer can be helpful to the extent that there is usually a specific point at which both our prayers and our journeys begin. There is a sense of progression and even change in how we pray and think about prayer over the course of our whole lives. Each of our specific prayers tends to have a particular destination, a goal or purpose. Taken as a whole, our prayer life can move us toward something or some place.

On a journey, we place a certain amount of faith in the means of getting where we're going, whether that means of transport is a roadway, a railway, an airline, or a just a sidewalk! To that extent then, both praying and journeying require a certain degree of abandonment to the process. That is not always done gracefully, but it can be a process that is filled with grace.

Process is important. What happens to us on a journey can change us. The process of prayer can be life changing as well. The experiences we surround with prayer and the prayers themselves help shape us as people. Through prayer, the detours we experience in life can become our most significant course changes.

Prayer is a journey. It is an image of our life's journey. Prayer is the rhythm of listening and action. It is holding open the space in which we hope to find our deepest selves and to encounter God. Prayer is formulating thoughts and giving them to God. Prayer requires a certain amount of faith and courage, and a willingness to hold open the sacred space.

Talking about prayer is not the same as praying, but both are part of the journey. Your journey of prayer enriches mine and hopefully mine helps enrich yours. This will be the topic of this Sunday's sermon. See you then.

--Jack Price

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