Dear Church,
Praying is not something you have to do. But if you love him, you will pray.
Linda and I have two grandchildren. We love them! Our love does not come out of a sense of duty. I could not imagine saying to them, as they get older, “I love you, because I am supposed to love you.”
We agree that, yes, we have a God-given duty to cherish our grandchildren. But the love of God transcends a sense of duty. This is all about intimate relationship.
Praying is a way of being-in-relationship-with God. It is not a religious duty that one has to do. Praying has its roots in the soil of God’s love. As Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands.” (John 14:15) One of which is to watch and pray.
For eighteen years I was a professor of logic at our local community college. Jesus employed logic and reason. Those who love Jesus keep his commands, one of which is to pray. Logically, it looks like this.
1. If I love Jesus, I will pray.
2. I love Jesus.
3. Therefore, I pray.
Or,
4. If I love Jesus, then I will pray.
5. I don’t pray.
6. Therefore, I don’t love Jesus.
This is not rocket science. We do what we love. Love (desire) without discipline is an illusion. Intentions minus actions equal nothing. I communicate with Linda, not because I "have to," but because I love her. I desire to be in relationship with her. To only talk and listen to her out of duty would signify a strange, unsatisfying, colorless marriage.
Prayer is a relationship, not a transaction. When praying erodes from “I want to” into “I have to,” joy diminishes.
Mere dutiful praying has little connection to life. Praying is not something we have to do. To pray is to be in relationship with God. When you are in a loving relationship with someone, you communicate.
My dear brothers and sisters: If you love Him, you will pray.
Love,
PJ
EXAMEN
Search your heart.
Don’t lose sight of your first love.
From my book 31 Letters to the Church on Praying.
