Pray Always (03/16/24)
When couples in crisis first start to receive counseling, one of the things they are often encouraged to do is to engage in small talk. Regularly what is found is that couples in crisis have not
communicated very well in the daily exercise of their lives. Small talk has not become a habit for them. In many cases, it is something that the couple needs professional help to start to practice. Challenges may still come up in their relationship. These challenges will be far easier to work through if the couple has been practicing regular, non-confrontational communication when things are going relatively well.
If this is an important tool for couples, surely it is an important tool when it comes to our communication with the Lord. There is a lot to be said for simply talking [to God] regularly. This is because something intrinsic within the basic
willingness to pray regularly shows an inner spirit of love and charity. The selection we read from the Gospel of Luke says, "Pray always" (Luke 21:36). [Jesus tells us] we are to "pray always." [Why? We wish to grow spiritually], we wish to be useful people, and we know that "as of ourselves, we can do nothing" (Swedenborg, Brief Exposition 5).
[Our theology teaches] that for angels the Sabbath and its worship never end. This does not mean that angels spend all of their time in churches… It does mean that the spirit of worship and the attitude of worship are things that are constantly present in [their] lives. Their lives are thoroughly
devoted to the Lord's work. They look to God, and God continually guides them. We could say that the angels regularly and consistently are [engaging in “speech with God”].
In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, "When you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place" (Matthew 6:6). This can seem like a natural directive, [but there is] symbolic language used here. A person's room or bedchamber is not a physical place, per se. [It is] an inner place within all of us (Swedenborg, Secrets of Heaven 5694). We do not need to go anywhere in order to shut the door and pray in our
room.
Sometimes the challenges that we face in our lives can seem like mountains. It is at times like this that we need to heed the Lord's words in
Matthew 17: ”Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and the mountain will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting" (Matthew 17:20-21; see also Mark 11:23).
With the Lord's help, mountains [in our lives] can be moved. With God "all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27). But how can we turn to the Lord when things have gone bad, if we have not spoken to Him when times were good? It is like spouses trying to talk their way through a crisis in their relationship when they have not
developed a habit of talking when times have been better. It is not that the couple in crisis should not try to talk things through. It is just that the challenge of trying to talk now is far greater than it would be if their communication had been better beforehand.
Consider how this principle applies to the way we talk to the Lord. It is just as important that we try to develop healthy habits of communicating with Him when things are going relatively well for us. Such habits may actually minimize the chances for later crises. And even when those trying times still come our way, consider how much better prepared we are to talk to the Lord
about solutions to life's problems if we have already been [practicing] regular conversation with Him
Of course, there are reasons to talk to the Lord beyond
the seeking of solutions to life's problems. A major reason we should talk to the Lord is simply to have Him help us live a life of [love]. This prayer does not need to be about grand theological matters. It doesn't need to be in response to some great crisis. All it needs to be is small talk. Tell the Lord about yourself. Describe to Him what is happening in your life. Share with Him the things that you desire and the things you wish to achieve. Speak to the Lord about your hopes and
aspirations for the people in this world that you care about. Nothing is too trivial. Develop a new relationship with Him. He is there to listen. (NCL Walsh, 2008)
