"A light exists in Spring
Winter’s done,
and April’s in the skies.
Earth, look up with laughter
in your eyes!
Charles G. D. Roberts (1860–1943)

Spring would not be spring without bird songs. I know it’s Spring because my bird friends are back in the yard. The sound is music to my ears and I believe they are trying to quote Shakespeare, when he said, “April hath put a spirit of youth in everything”. Welcome to the April newsletter.

PRAY OUT LOUD? ARE YOU NUTS!

Ever since I first went to church, I admired the pastor’s ability to lead the congregation in prayer. I realize they all went through a lot of training and by the time I came along, they were pros and praying out loud in front of others was no big deal. I figured they were just born to do it.

Then one day, it happened to me; I had to lead others in prayer and there was no script! It happened after the Stephen Ministry classes were over and I attended my first official meeting. They always open in prayer and I figured there was no way Phil Basak, the leader, would pick me, but like a snotty little kid he looked at me and did just that. I was one of the new guys and he figured it was time to see what I was made of. The other new guys seemed to be invisible at that moment, like they had some magic camouflage on.

Not wanting to panic, I tried to remember the smooth way a pastor starts a prayer but I froze inside and there was nothing in my brain but dust and something left over from the last ice age. My tongue seemed to swell and to this day I can’t remember a word I said. I just wonder if I said anything relevant or even coherent. Why was I so nervous?

Things only got worse because I joined CRHP and those guys pray a lot. They even look to each other to say a prayer spoken out loud. I knew it would only be a matter of time before they looked to me to say something. Each time, there was dry mouth and a swollen tongue and I always wondered if I ever said anything at all.

Then I found out that a lot of people share that same malady. Saying a speech is different because you have time to practice and rehearse, but a prayer has to come from the heart and it has to be somewhat coherent. Plus, the Lord is now in the audience. If you ever want to speak in front of the largest possible audience, pray out loud.

I’ve read about several styles of prayer through the ages. Some used to pray with arms out-stretched while looking up while others prayed quietly, head bowed down. I’ve seen examples of every possibility in between. I don’t know which the “right” way is. I guess the bottom line is that with God listening, a prayer from the heart would be heard either way.

I may have it wrong because I pray so much that it would seem like I was talking as though He was in the room with me. (Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17) I don’t mean to be cavalier about it but there is always so much more to pray for with each passing day that I almost forget who I’m talking to as I worry about things going on in the world and the people around me. After all, talking to Jesus for me is like talking to my best friend. Then, with Easter upon us, my prayers suddenly seem unworthy and all the events in the world dissolve into an abyss as I reflect upon His death.

I love reading the Gospel of John as he highlights the events in the life of Jesus. I highly recommend it whenever you feel like your faith is being challenged. However, when I read the book of Acts, I try to picture what it must have felt like to be the first to be called “Christians” and pray out loud, “In the name of Jesus”.

Those first Christians took a lot of flak, to put it mildly, as they prayed “in the name of Jesus”. I wonder who among us in this world could have been so bold if we could be magically transported back to those times. Picture a crowd of people picking up sizable stones and aiming for your head when you prayed out loud “in the name of Jesus”. Someone had to be the first; could you?

I like my head where it’s at and mine has taken enough damage over the years. Still, Jesus died for me but not until He had been beaten beyond recognition. It’s never easy to lead others in prayer but it gets easier the more I think about our Savior on that cross. I’ll stand in line from now on and shout it out loud from the mountaintops, “In the glorious name of Jesus”. Amen.

Iwill therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
1 Timothy 2:8