I'm Praying. Who's Listening?
(image from kingsteemministry.org) At the time of his dramatic initial encounter with Jesus Christ , the man who later became known as Paul the Apostle prayed. The prayer was short, earnest, and from the heart. The prayer was a question. The prayer was immediately, clearly, and directly answered. What happens when we pray? Are we "centering" ourselves? Are we "calming our thoughts"? Are we engaging in mindful self-examination? No. In real prayer, we are hearing from and responding to a supernatural person who knows and loves us, a person who longs to hear us open our hearts and our minds to the one who never turns away and never rejects. In prayer, we are reaching back to the one who reaches out to us. In the Bible passage referenced earlier, Paul's question is a response to Jesus Christ's question. The creature and the creator are interacting, sharing thoughts and ideas. Each understands the other. This is prayer. This real pray...