One day, when he’d just come from praying,
A friend approached and asked him, saying,
“Tell me Teacher, when I seek
To talk to God, how should I speak?”
So Jesus told him, “Do not make
A lot of noise, and groan and shake,
But go into your room alone
And picture God, not on a throne,
For when in trouble, would you rather
Speak to a monarch or your father?
Communion with God is normal,
Why be tentative and formal?
Be creative, find the key
That opens God’s simplicity
For prayer should be a simple task,
God knows your need before you ask.
See him in a humble place,
A friendly smile upon his face.
Say to him, ‘I bless your name
For yours and mine are both the same.
Our Father, since I’m sure you see
The place in which we ought to be,
Help us to become aware
Of how to get from here to there.
And help us not to grasp or hoard,
But trust in you for room and board.
And when I fail to do what’s right,
Keep me yet within your sight,
And pick me up each time I fall,
The way you did when I was small,
So will I do the same for those
Who cross my path disguised as foes.
Then in the time of anxious strife,
When what I choose may change my life,
Whisper in my worried ear
Something that will calm my fear.
Keep me from a fool’s disgrace
And falling flat upon my face.
Father, I believe you’re there
And hope that you can hear my prayer,
For I am yours and you are mine,
From now until the end of time.’
Pray to God like that and then,
When you’re finished, say, ‘Amen!'”
PS
Alternatively, if you’d rather
Not be calling God your father,
Find a form that helps you feel
You’re reaching out to something real.