River of Prayer

"At this very moment, no matter the time of day or night, someone is praying.  The river of prayer is flowing."~Bunny Cox

I don’t understand the power of prayer.  I don’t know if anyone does, but I know prayer is the thread that connects us to one another and to God.  It is the basis of our relationship with the Holy and the means by which we live in the Spirit.

The language of prayer is deep and silent. Its power is steeped in mystery, and it moves in the world in ways we cannot fathom.  Our trust is that, through prayer, mighty forces are unleashed.

Prayer Practice: The imagination can be a pathway to prayer and experience of God. Read each stanza slowly. Allow time between each line to breathe and imagine:  

  

Sitting still, quiet your body. With gentleness begin to breathe deeply. Try to sink into a place of calm--quiet– the God place within you—sacred, holy space. Be present with God’s desire for you. Deep calling deep.  Love answering love. Breathe.

Imagine: A sense of prayer begins to swell within you. Soaked in God’s love, saturated in mercy, it fills you.   

Unable to be contained, it pours into the room. As if an invisible floodgate has been opened, your prayer fills the room and overflows into the world.

Across fields… nearby cities…beyond the horizon itself.

Your prayer intermingles with prayers from brothers and sisters around the world--tributaries of love.

A mighty river of prayer is formed. 

It meanders over the face of the earth, depositing sediments of love.

Healing. . . mercy. . . forgiveness. . .all that has been prayed for. Living water. Healing water.

It flows over the ones we love. . . over the ones we struggle to love. It washes every place of woundedness.

Sorrow. . .pain. . . all that needs healing.

The river of prayer can’t be stopped by pebbles, rocks, boulders--barriers of any kind. It circles the globe.


It returns to flow over you.  

Our tiny trickle of prayer released into the world, returns to each of us--a mighty river of love. 

Cleansing. . . healing. . . with love. . . compassion. . .grace.


Sit quietly and feel the river of prayer, the river of love flowing over you.

Reflection:


Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

John 7:38-39a "Rivers of living water will flow from within them. By this he meant the Spirit."

--What was this prayer like for me?

--What are my thoughts about the imagination being a pathway to prayer?

--What are my thoughts about the power of prayer?