Praying Slowly

If prayer is talking with God, and God dwells in eternity, why do I feel I have to talk so fast? Why do I feel too rushed to listen for a while?

I’ll tell you why. It’s not because God is looking at his watch. It’s because I’m looking at mine.

How can I focus on what I’m saying, or, more importantly, on God, when I’m racing through my prayers to get past them to. . . . to what? What could be more important than spending time with my Creator?

I know the right answer to that question: Nothing is more important. Spending “time” with the “eternal” God puts my life in perspective, connects me with my purpose, grounds me in the security of eternal realities. It puts me in a position to live an abundant life, in triumph over all the petty interruptions and disturbances of a broken world that is ruled by a God-defying being who would love to see me hurry through my times with God.

That particular God-defying fallen angel is in a hurry, by the way. He knows his time is short. His reign is ending soon. He hurries to accomplish all the destruction he can before D-day. And, if I’m not careful, I can get swept along in his agenda, running at breakneck, devil-speed toward his goals, fulfilling his purposes, and missing out on God’s quiet, determined, creatively purposeful kingdom-plans.

I will not do that. I cannot do that. The cost is too dear. I will determine to approach my “times” with God reverently, with shoes removed, stepping quietly out of chronos time into God’s eternal kairos realm. I will allow time to stand still while I talk to time’s Creator.

Will someone hold me to this promise? I can forget so easily.