Prayer isn’t just people asking God to do something for them. Above all else it is people paying attention to God. Now that makes it sound as if you should expect to hear voices when you’re praying. It might happen–all things are possible with God–but I tend to question any report of God giving voice during prayer. What I mean by paying attention is being aware that every act of prayer is in the presence of God. To be sure, God is always with us, but in prayer we pay attention to that presence of God.

Some people hear things while they are praying, some have visions, some even smell a fragrance. Most of the great teachers of prayer tell you to let go of those experiences. It’s like when the risen Jesus told Mary, “Don’t cling to me.” Don’t try to hold on to the experience for God is beyond them. Sometimes a person has a wonderful feeling overcome them in prayer. That’s a gift, but don’t try to hold on to it. Pay attention to the giver of the gift, not the gift itself. When Elijah experienced the presence of God at Mount Horeb it was not in the wind or earthquake or fire, but in the “sound of sheer  silence.” You pay attention in prayer with the ear of the heart.

God is always with us, but we have to pay attention to the divine presence. In prayer it is our intention to pay attention to God

Read 1 Kings 19:1-13, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne