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The Lord is near! Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:5b-7).

Today, we return to these verses to reflect on the discipline of Christian prayer. This text joins a host of others than encourage us to be constantly engaged in it. Revelation 5:8 gives an image of our prayers rising as incense before the Lord on his throne. Jesus tells us to, \u2018Ask, seek, knock and we will receive, find and have doors opened\u2019 (cf. Luke 11:9-10).

Elsewhere, Paul adds to the chorus: \u201cPray continually\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:17); \u201cbe faithful in prayer\u201d (Romans 12:12); \u201cAnd pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord\u2019s people\u201d (Ephesians 6:18); \u201cdevote yourselves to prayer\u201d (Colossians 4:2).

These instructions feel rather overwhelming and when Paul adds things like \u2018pray in the Spirit\u2019 many Christians wonder if there is some form of super spiritual prayer reserved for the elite; to which the answer is \u2018no\u2019. It\u2019s helpful to step back and see the larger picture being drawn here. A good starting point are two verses from John\u2019s gospel. Early on, we learn that Jesus came so we could become children of God (1:12-13). When children encounter stress, they instinctively run to their parents. This is the image the scripture invokes in all its passages about constant prayer.

The other helpful passage is from John 15 with its image of the vine. Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. The image is simple: branches can only live if they are connected to the vine. The problem with \u2018Christian branches\u2019 is that we are capable to disconnecting from our vine. When we do that, we usually go looking for a different vine. Thus, Jesus tells us in this passage to \u2018remain\u2019 in him (5). Prayer is one the chief means of staying connected.

Once, I compared prayer to a telephone and I said God always picks up when we call. Today, I might use the image of texting, emails, and other forms of social media through which we stay connected. The point is still true: God will always receive and respond to our communications. But I also think these images are inadequate. These communication tools keep us at a distance from the people we are connecting with. They are helpful, but we deeply desire a more intimate connection. So does God.

A more robust Biblical understanding of prayer includes that when we pray, we enter the very presence of God. Again, the image of a child crawling onto the lap of a parent comes to mind. Many adults don\u2019t necessarily like that image because it makes us look weak. Well, sorry to break it to you, we are weak. Prayer is an act of humility in which we draw strength and comfort from God because our resources our quite limited.

When prayer becomes the act of entering the presence of God, our anxieties do diminish. We see God. We see that his resources and power are without limit. On the throne is the Lamb, the wounded one, the demonstration of God\u2019s great love for us. That is also why we can bring our petitions with thanksgiving. In his presence, we know that we do not carry the burdens of the world on our shoulders; we don\u2019t even have to carry our own little burdens. God has us.

How does prayer become this place and space? Truly, there is only one way. Practice. Individually and communally, we need to keep coming back to the place of prayer. Some people use prayer prompts: a picture, a place, a candle. Others find that praying with spiritual friends helps bring them into the presence of God. Starting the day with prayer is not an end in itself. It should set the stage for regularly returning to God in the course of the day. Practice until its our natural response.

Remember, God wants this for us, even more than we want it for ourselves. In the end, we discover that the results of prayer are gifts that God has given. More on that tomorrow. Jesus tells us that the Father is eager to give, but we need to ask (Luke 11). \xa0

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you.

May he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm.

May he bring you home rejoicing; at the wonders he has shown you.

May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.