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Paris Originals

2/01/2012

Paris OriginalsSeveral months ago I read a book by Max Swaim called Prayer in the Digital Age. To be honest, I didn’t enjoy it very much, but I did run across this statement which got me thinking:

Do we not live in an age where we can arm digital devices to set off alarms to remind us to pause for moments, even seconds, to remember what the purpose of existence really is, and to acknowledge and reflect upon our situation in the light of things eternal? Is it not possible to intersperse scheduled brief communication with God amid scheduled brief communications with our business associates and social network connections?

Though Lois and I have been in the habit of meeting every Monday afternoon around 5pm to read the Bible and pray, I was intrigued by the idea of intentional daily prayer. I talked it over with Lois and we decided to set alarms on our cell phones for 10am and 2pm to remind us individually to stop and pray for a few moments each day. To hold one another accountable we email each other at the close of the day to briefly reflect on our prayer experiences.

I set my morning and afternoon alarms to play the sound of cathedral bells ringing in a Russian Orthodox Church (sort of a nod to the monastic practice of bells calling the monks to prayer).		 I must admit that it felt really odd at first to stop working, or whatever I was doing, to pray at 10 & 2. Over time, however, it has become almost routine.

Now that Lois and I have been doing this for several months, here are a few things I’ve learned:
  • Instead of majestic bells at 10 & 2, my phone shrieks a hideous siren that scares everybody in the office to death if I forget to disconnect it from my computer.
  • Being an introvert by nature, the call to prayer often feels like a major interruption.
  • I get so busy and so focused on “holy tasks” (like finding jokes for my sermons or cartoons for the newsletter) that I often completely lose sight of the God I claim to be serving.
  • I can find a veritable plethora of excuses for not stopping to pray (“I simply must get this finished!).
  • 99% of my excuses are just that — excuses.
  • Taking time to pray can calm my spirit and open me to insights I would have missed otherwise.
  • If I’m too busy to pray, I’m too busy.
Whether you use your cell phone or some other reminder, whether you pray at 10 & 2 or other times that are more reasonable for you, I encourage you to find creative ways to catch at least a moment or two to connect with God during the day. You might be surprised at what you learn about God and yourself.