Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.

Jeremiah 29:12

Up in heaven, there is a mighty legion of angels, sitting at switchboards, answering prayers. The angels hear a prayer, evaluate its intensity, and respond accordingly. The really BIG prayers go up the ladder for God to handle.

Hmm. Is that how prayer works? Not sure about that. Here’s another thought:

God is all-powerful and all-knowing, so the second we say, “Dear God…” God is listening, taking notes. For every single request, God takes out a coin and flips it. Sometimes God helps, and sometimes God doesn’t.

No, I don’t think that’s it either.

Maybe God is a little more hand’s off. God gave us free will and promised not to interfere. So God hears our prayers and sympathizes with us…from a distance.

That seems awfully impersonal.

How exactly does prayer work? Heck, I don’t know. I’ve been a pastor for more than twenty years and I’m still not sure. I’ll admit, sometimes I get frustrated, throw up my unfolded hands and say, “why bother?”

Still, the Bible is pretty clear about it. Remember John 14:14? “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Seems straightforward, and yes, I’ve prayed prayers that seemed like they were answered. I’ve also prayed prayers that seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.

Why bother praying? Well, prayer is about more than asking for things. Prayer is an opportunity to praise God, or thank God, or (my personal favorite) to just BE with God. Sometimes it can feel like a one-sided conversation, but then I remember times my prayers calmed me, opened pathways for me, and even felt like God’s arms were wrapped around me.

I’ve decided that prayer is a skill. The more intentional you are, the more you get out of it. I’ll admit to skipping practice now and then, but I keep coming back for more, because somehow, mysteriously, SOMETHING seems to be happening.

The passage above, from Jeremiah, reminds us that God does hear our prayers. That God is not remote and impersonal, but as intimate as our very breath. The verse right before this makes it even clearer. It’s one you may be familiar with:

 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm,
to give you a future with hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

Remember that? Maybe that’s why we should “bother” with prayer. It lines up our plans with God’s plans. It reminds us of God’s constant care, and it gives us hope for the future. What more could we want?

I don’t know how prayer works. Maybe it is simply a way for us to acknowledge a connection to God that is always present, but often overlooked.

As for angels at switchboards? I don’t know about that.

But I’ve got to believe…

someone is taking my calls.

Have a great week,

Mitch