Prayer. It’s a simple word that conjures up many meanings. There are the spoken prayers we offer in the liturgy, like the prayer of the day and the post-communion prayer. There are the often quickly-said prayers before a meal. There are the gut-wrenching words that come in desperate times. There are the spontaneous exclamations of joy and thankfulness. These are prayers offered with words, but prayers can also be offered with dance, music, movement, even sighs.
I’m not always voicing a prayer petition, but I truly see all that I do as being part of my constant dialogue with God. I am quite cognizant of the corporate and personal prayers I voice to God, while I am less cognizant, but still aware, of the many other ways in which I dialogue with God.
May you find ways each day that you may be in dialogue with God without ever using words. Do not limit your experience with God to that which can be translated into words. “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Colossians 4:2 (NIV).
This is adapted from a blog post, “Devote yourselves to prayer,” written by Linda Post Bushkofsky, that was published on January 1, 2014.