Episcopal Church of Our Saviour

            Prayer, of course, in order to be a conversation needs to allow time for listening – to hear what God might be saying. God needs a chance to answer your questions, to speak to your heart, and to surround you with grace. We often miss what God is saying to us because we don’t quiet down enough to listen. This can be risky, however, because God might want to say something to us that we don’t want to hear. 

            Ordinarily we think of prayer requiring words. Music and art can also express what we can’t put into words. And, fortunately, God understands our thoughts and emotions even when we are unable to express them in any form. God may even prefer for us to simply have the intention to be present for God without words, thoughts, or even emotions. Words may lock us into our thoughts and leave little room for God to speak to our hearts. Silence, after all, is God’s first language.