I grew up in a home that prayed. I was taught at an early age to pray to my Father in Heaven both individually and as a family. My private prayers were rudimentary at first—thanking, asking, receiving. They could become quite routine in fact.
I remember at one point deciding that to save time and effort I would just pray once every five days but still get credit in my mind for saying daily prayers by saying each word five times. I could then slough for the next four days and not pray. My prayer would begin, “Dear, Dear, Dear, Dear, Dear, Heavenly, Heavenly, Heavenly, Heavenly, Heavenly, Father, Father, Father, Father, Father . . .” Sad but true. Looking back I can imagine a loving Heavenly Father looking down, shaking his head and smiling at his little six-year-old slacker. Fortunately that phase didn’t last long.
Through the years I have tried and continue to try to make communing with God more and more meaningful.
The desire to pray will grow in us as we read the scriptures, and we will be able to close the book with renewed desire to speak with the author. The basic purpose of prayer may well be to find out the will of God and then to ask for faith and strength to carry it out. (See Ann N. Madsen, Prayer, pp.99-106)
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
Where there is hatred let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
Lord, may I not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
Because it is in giving that we receive,
In pardoning that we are pardoned.
-Saint Francis of Assisi
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