The key to effective prayer can be summarized with one simple statement: trusting God.
In our ministry, we do not believe that one’s relationship with God is a transactional process. We believe it is a process of surrendering to greater and greater depth of trust in God, in Life, in the world in which we have been invited to take part.
Many people’s default assumption is that prayer is accomplished by petitioning the Divine. We do not believe prayer is like going to the bank and cashing in your prayer chips for some result in the world. Prayer is becoming a child-like “imitator of God” and frolicking in the imaginary playground of God’s Creation, seeing Creation for what it is, and seeing the Creator’s reflection in it.
“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.”
– Ephesians 55:11
I never would have thought that this ministry would evolve into anything that resembled a kind of evangelism. I’ve long lived by the notion that the world is perfect, just the way it is, whether my conscious mind perceives it this way or not. I have opted to judge in favor of Divine Perfection that transcends my perception. Now, I see a paradox lurking in this assumption – and I always want my understanding to transcend itself into the realm of paradox.
Yes, it is perfect. And somehow it just gets better and better.
This continual expansion of Creation into simultaneously increasing complexity and simplicity is what we think of as the self-realization of God, the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, the spiritualization of matter and the materialization of spirit into a unified whole that is fully felt, lived, and experienced in the present.
The realization of Heaven on Earth starts with us. By “us”, I mean your current conception of yourself as being embodied in the world. I mean the intersection of our current self-concept in the moment in which we find ourselves, and the simultaneous faith that we are resting gently within the palm of God’s hand. By feeling the comfort of resting in God’s embrace regardless of our current self-concept, we feel free to play in the world and to imagine what uplifts us, what heals, what inspires – like children. To pray is to understand oneself as a Child of God, of the infinite intelligence guiding all Life to it’s natural convergence with itself and towards it’s own flourishing, and to live that Life in our Hearts.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
– Jeremiah 29:11
The realization of Heaven on Earth begins by acknowledging that the will of the Divine is complete, “on Earth as it is in Heaven”, and that invitation we are being asked to take is to see the world as something more, as Creation.
“Recognize what is in front of your face, and that which has been hidden from you will be revealed.”
– Gospel of Thomas 5
In the Christian tradition, we are asked to “pray unceasingly”. Prayer is also defined by Christ as simply the “belief” that the things which we “pray for” have already come to pass (Mark 11:24). If we take both of these injunctions together, then we are asked to trust in the fulfilment of our Heart’s desires naturally, automatically, and completely, like a child who runs towards the playground knowing their parents are nearby, watching.
“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”
– Psalm 20:4
We invite you to participate in prayer with us. And rather than seeing the fearful or undesirable state which has brought you to seek prayer as something which can be remedied or repaired through the intercession of the Divine, we invite you to take up the staff of the Lord yourself. The Child does not say “I cannot, for I am ill” or “I cannot, for I am poor”. The Child takes your hand and leads you, refusing to whatever it is your see that limits you, for you too are a Child of the same power which created everything you see before you and organized it in such a way as to lead you to this moment, choosing either your limitation or your freedom.
“No servant can serve two masters.”
– Luke 16:13
Choose to see yourself the way God sees you, supported gently in the palm of God’s hand, and free to imagine the desires of your Heart already fulfilled, like a Child on the Playground of the Divine.
When you pray for those who have requested prayer through our prayer request form, simply imagine them ideally, and trust that God takes care of the rest, just as God cares for you.
Thank you. Much love. Be blessed.