Intersections

I went out running earlier this morning and came to a couple busy intersections with traffic signals. I’ve learned tobe alert in my running after a close call with a driver who wasn’t looking for a runner as they went through an intersection.So this morning at each intersection I had the choice of pushing the “walk” button and moving with the authority of the signal or going on my own and risking my personal safety and even getting a ticket.  I chose to ask for the assistance of the traffic light by pushing the “walk” button and then waiting my turn to proceed (By the way, this also gave me time to stretch and hydrate!)I’ve been thinking about prayer lately. I realize that prayer is about intersections.There are many definitions of prayer that use words like devotion, confession, invocations, praise, thanksgiving, and more. All these words are good and express a unique facet of prayer. But for some of us they can also sound pious, vague, or unattainable. I’m not a theologian, but I’ve come up with an admittedly simple definition of prayer that works for me. Here it is:Prayer is the intersection of our being, life, and circumstances with the very presence and power of God.It’s the amazing, beautiful gift God has given us to turn to Him and experience His power, peace, and will in our soul and times.Our lives are all about intersections. Some are beautiful events that we never want to leave. Others are hard and painful crossings that tap our souls and strength. Sometimes life can blindside us like a careless driver that blows through the intersection of our existence. At all these intersections we have a simple choice:•    Go it on our own and risk our temporal and eternal well-being; or•    Ask for God’s presence, power, rule and peace in whatever place we find ourselves.We don’t need to be master wordsmiths or speakers to pray, for God even helps us with this, as the Apostle Paul wrote:“ … If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. [God] does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.”Romans 8:26-28 The MessageOver the next weeks, I will be writing more about prayer.I ‘d like to start a conversation with you on this, so send me your thoughts and experiences. Some may even appear on future blog posts.I appreciate you taking the time to read thisGod bless you! Chris