Praying the Road to Emmaus

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread.  Grant this for the sake of your love.  Amen.

Book of Common Prayer pg. 124

The importance of Prayer

So the other day at work a coworker came up to me, who is a part of a mainline Christian denomination, and told me, “Don’t you guys over at IHOP take the call to pray a little seriously?” He then told me that IHOP seemed more like a cult than Christianity because of the amount that is given to prayer.

I then asked him, “Do you think the Apostle Paul prayed more or less than the Average IHOPer?” He replied, “Probably more.” “So you think we should pray less than Paul?” I asked. “Well, all I mean is that it just isn’t normal.” By this time we were both standing in the restaurant where I work facing the bar area. I pointed to the bar, “So hanging out at the bar would be more normal then praying I suppose?” “Well… yea I guess.” He replied. I then pointed at one of the large TV’s in the bar area showing a theatrical trailer to an upcoming movie, “Or maybe going to watch a movie; that would be normal right?” “Yeah… that would be normal,” he said sheepishly getting my point. “So hanging out at a bar or watching a movie would be more important that connecting with God in prayer?” I asked. Finally he broke, saying, “No, but… I just think you guys over at IHOP take it too seriously.”

This was from a great guy that I work with. He doesn’t drink, smoke, cuss, and he goes to church every Sunday and last I heard he was leading a bible study. But he thought that to pray like the Apostle Paul was “not normal.” I wonder what he would have said if he were to meet the Apostle himself?

Before I came to IHOP I was the same way, I did not pray but for a few minutes a day and if I prayed an hour, well then, that was enough for me to take a few days off.

I dont really have much to say… I just thought the conversation I had with a fellow Christian was odd. Any thoughts?

Prayer for Hope

O God, whose mighty angel rolled back the stone from the tomb, revealing our resurrected Lord; roll back the stone of despair from our hearts, that we, being filled with peace and joy in believing, may continually behold the One who was dead but is now alive forevermore in our work, study, and prayer to you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.