In Jesus, I see a God who wants to be in a mutual and reciprocal relationship with people. Yes: God is God, and we are not. It is not a relationship of equals. But neither is it one-sided.
God desires us to come and speak to God. And sometimes, God hears what people say and pray, and relents from what God had intended. In the Bible, when God hears a prayer and relents, the change is always from judgment to mercy. It never goes the other way. That is good news indeed.
A wise friend reminded me that prayer is about talking to God. When you are in a relationship, you need to communicate with each other to share your difficulties and what is happening in your life. In a good conversation, you listen well. For me, prayer has now become more of a resting: a trusted dwelling with the one I know who loves me (and all the world) beyond human comprehension.
This message is excerpted from “Prayer changes things” by Ann M. Fritschel in the July/August 2018 Gather magazine.
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