3 minute read
REV. DR. MICHAEL HEGEMAN
Prayer
“Prayer is governed by the same laws that govern the growth of the flower in the crannied wall; it is controlled by the same laws that control the flow of a stream, the art of a game, the life of a bee. For as God is in all things, so are His laws prevailing in all things; and as God is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever, so are His mighty laws the same yesterday, to-day and forever. As prayer is life raised to its highest degree, so the laws of prayer are the laws of life raised to their highest expression. A [person] who learns and practices the laws of prayer correctly should be able to play golf better, do business better, work better, love better, serve better. For to learn how to pray is to learn how to live.”
~ Glenn Clark, The Soul’s Sincere Desire, 49. [1925]
BY DR. MICHAEL HEGEMAN
When we think about prayer, perhaps a word that does not come immediately to mind is “play.” Prayer is serious business after all, right? When it comes time to pray, whether in church or at home or on the road, there seems to be an internal switch that we flip that makes us sober, somber, and subdued. Maybe this happens because too often we pray only when life’s circumstances are most dire: when a loved one’s health is threatened, when financial circumstances bring anxiety, or when the world seems to be falling apart and there are no clear solutions at hand. Prayer truly is serious business at these times.
If we only pray at “serious” times, however, then we’re missing at least half of our prayer life. It’s like if we only stretched once a week before exercise, and then wonder why we’re stiff the rest of the time. Daily “stretching” in prayer requires “play” to keep us limber, nimble, and ready to pray in all circumstances and under all conditions.
So, what does “playful” prayer look like? To figure this out, first become an observer of life: look to see how the flowers grow in the oddest places, look to see how water flows downhill and listen to a stream’s burble, follow the path of a bee through a garden. Marvel at God’s creation. Watch children color with absolute abandon. Enter into the joy of watching your favorite sports team work in synch…moving as one. Notice your breath. Let your wonder be your prayer.
After observing life’s flow, enter into it, be a full participant in life, saying, “I am one of God’s amazing creations. Everything I do, I do as a child at play.” Every chance you get, let joy be your response to life. So, when life gets tough, you have a reserve of joy and gratitude to feed your “serious” prayers. Let 99% of your day be filled with the playful prayer of “O Wow!” So, when you need to say, “God, we’re in serious trouble down here,” you are bolstered and trained up to pray with the faith of a child…at play.
DR. MICHAEL HEGEMAN holds a Ph.D. in Preaching and New Testament Studies from Princeton Theological Seminary, and Master’s degrees in Divinity and Theology. Mike taught speech and preaching courses at Princeton Seminary for ten years. He currently leads adult education at Pinnacle, where he serves as Associate Pastor in Education for Pinnacle and Associate Director for the Fran Park Center for Faith & Life. In October 2019, Mike was ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
