One’s Life Is One’s Prayer

Today’s reading: Psalm 139:1-12

I sometimes find myself  feeling too self-conscious about prayer. The other day, for example, a church friend and I shared a meal together at a restaurant. We’d both been working long and hard on a project all day and were very tired and hungry by the time the waitress brought our order.  So we dove in — without praying first.

About midway through the second bite of my burger, I realized the oversight.  I felt ashamed.

But then I remembered shame is the opposite of forgiveness, so it doesn’t come from God. (At least not it this case. Theologically speaking, I suppose, God introduced shame in the Garden of Eden as a result of Adam & Eve’s Original Sin.  But that’s another discussion. In this instance, the sin of forgetting to pray before meals is definitely covered by the blood of The Cross.)

Fortunately I came to my God-sense quickly and didn’t interrupt the blessing of the meal. I’m guessing my friend realized our mistake too. But he didn’t mention it either. We both just gave God thanks through our smiles, laughs, and sighs of wonder over all  we had accomplished together in His name that day.

Today’s reading helps me remember that my prayer-life is not as troubled as the Devil sometimes tries to make me believe. In fact, it’s not troubled at all.

My life is my prayer-life. I live for God. And, with God, I have no troubles. Reminding myself of that is all the prayer I need.

“You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely.” (Verses 2-4)

Thanks be to God, the ever-present answer to all of my (and our) prayers.