Morning Prayers Part Three

When we pray, we often wonder if God is listening to us. I know we wonder, because many confess this to me. It isn’t a sin, but we feel as if we don’t ‘have God’s ear’ when we are praying. Maybe it is because of the way we pray. Maybe it is the words we choose.

Today’s Daily Lenten Journey wraps up our ‘personal’ morning prayers with a sort of closing prayer, but it is much more than a closing. This prayer is meant to help relieve our fear that God isn’t listening. This prayer thanks God for taking the time to listen.

Glory to you, King, God almighty, who through your divine and loving providence have consented that I, an unworthy sinner, should rise from sleep and obtain entrance into your holy house. Accept, Lord, the voice of my prayer as you accept those of your holy and spiritual powers; and that not through my defiled lips, but from a pure heart and humble spirit, praise may be offered to you so that I also, with the bright lamp of my soul, may become a companion of the wise virgins and glorify you, God the Word, who is glorified in the Father and the Spirit. Amen.

There can be a sense of unworthiness and guilt in our prayers that lead to repentance. If these feelings go beyond the urge for repentance, they are more temptation from the devil. The devil wants us to think we are not even worthy of God listening to our prayers. The devil is wrong.

The Holy Spirit knows what we need before we pray, and the Church provides us with prayers that simultaneously praise God and comfort our soul. When we wrap up our ‘personal’ morning prayers, we are adding our voices to the voices of the saints and the righteous.

We must never think God isn’t listening. He always listens. I urge you to ignore the temptation to think you are not worthy of praying to Him. The Church has been guiding us for two thousand years of prayer and devotion to God, and He has never stopped listening.

Allow me to share one final thought about our morning prayers. Our prayers are not about sharing a list of demands on God. You will notice a common theme, which carries far beyond our morning prayers. Our prayers are about mercy and glory, thanksgiving and holiness.

A ‘sure way’ to embrace the current trend toward depression is to make your prayers a list of demands on God. Let’s face it. He already knows what we need. It isn’t that He doesn’t want us to ask, but if we are being honest, our demands would be much more about us than about God.

If you want to experience peace in your prayers, the ‘morning prayers’ given to us by the Church, tired and tested for centuries, are worth your time. Your days will have a bit more peace when you spend your prayer time with God about your relationship with Him.

Tomorrow we will turn our attention to prayers throughout the day. I pray this first week of the Daily Lenten Journey has been a blessing to you. Please share our ministry with your friends. Happy praying.