I wanted to wake up early today (5:30 am) so I set the alarm. Key word in that first sentence- "wanted"! The alarm went off on my blackberry and I hit the snooze for 5 minutes. Time passed quickly so I quickly re-set the alarm for 6:00 am hoping to catch at least 25 more minutes of sleep. What I found is that quickly I was fading in and out of consciousness. In between, I found myself starting to pray for others. I would think about the person with cancer, the one struggling with their mother, the people who are trying to find their spiritual home. I was focused for a good 30 seconds until. . ...
My mind wandered to the carpool I have to drive later in the day and what I was going to cook for dinner. I thought about how I should exercise and then fell asleep some more. . ..
I tossed a bit and then found myself awake again and asking God for random thing in between the next round hitting the snooze button 3 times-- to bless the kids going on the retreat this weekend, watch over my kids, help me get an important task done, and to help a family going through great crisis.
I think back and realize in many ways that my conversation with God was all over the place! During the conversation I was focused on others at times then all over the place! I was falling asleep while talking with God then waking up and jumping to personal tasks that were in front of me to falling asleep to probably just sitting silently thinking about nothing.
My conversation was "all over the place" but I had the complete sense that God was listening, was wide awake despite my grogginess, and hoping to hear more from me.
As we think about prayer, remember it is a conversation with God. It's not always nice and orderly. Conversations may go all over the place but it doesn't matter to God. I suspect he simply enjoys being with us.
Talk to God.
