I bought a prayer plant for my office today. It got me thinking about prayer again.
How do you pray with your hands? My prayer plant has some leaves in matched pairs, opened up like an orans position with hands raised to the sky, ready to receive a word from God. My plant has some single leaves and that reminds me of those who pray with one hand, or partial hands or no hands at all—their prayers are equally effective.
When you pray, do your hands clasp each other with fingers intertwined? Or do you press your palms together? Maybe your hands hang by your side or are placed in your lap.
The smallest leaves on my prayer plant have five coloured splotches on them. As they grow in size they gain more splotches until there are ten, two rows of five, meant to remind one of the ten commandments.
Look at your hands. Are there splotches or lines or scars on them? What do they remind you of? When you pray do you look at your hands and remember?
Do you sit while you pray? Or stand, or kneel, or lie down? Does it depend on where you are? Do you pray differently in church than you do at home?
My prayer plant sits on the credenza behind my desk. Is there a special place set aside for your prayers? A prayer chair? A certain pew? While you run or walk or bake? While you travel to work? Or do you mix it up during the day as prayer intentions come to mind? Do you pray with the morning or evening news?
My prayer plant is in a beautiful decorative pot. Does the place that you pray have certain decorations associated with it? At my house my prayer chair has a small icon, a candle, two small crosses made from shell casings and a stack of books—my Bible and worship book and some other prayer resources.
My prayer plant is near the window because it needs light to grow and prosper. It needs to be watered regularly so it will survive. What does your prayer life need to survive? Do you read devotional material or scripture to inspire your prayer life? Do you read books of prayers by other people? Do you have a prayer partner or prayer group to inspire you or hold you accountable in your prayer life?
There is no right or wrong way to pray. But praying frequently keeps you connected with God and with the community around you. Praying regularly is a big part of your spiritual health. My prayer plant is doing well. How are you doing at prayer?
Rev. Susan Johnson
ELCIC National Bishop