Prayer is not a snapshot

Perhaps prayers don't seem to work because we think of them as snapshots.

Here is a snapshot of a person running:

If the snapshot is all you have, would you know where he is running from? Would you know where he is running to?

You would not know, because all you have is one snapshot.

But we want our prayers to be single snapshots. Someone is rude! And our snapshot prayer: "Oh, Lord, make him kind!"

And then we go on to other things. And then we notice no change. Ahhh... and then we have another prayer that did not work.

It does not occur to us that, for the prayer to work, perhaps we have to run with him. Perhaps we need to know a little of from whence he came, and influence a little of where he is headed.

If we are running along, the project of prayer is more like a moving picture: many, many snapshots elapsing in order.

And elapsing over time. Because it takes time.

And if we pray while running along the way with him, well ...

... then perhaps we'll see a Third Person running along with us, One who seems to have a certain knowledge of where we should go.

Logos2Go

1 Thessalonians 5.17 Pray without ceasing.

2 Timothy 1.3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.

Philemon 1.4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers ...