Prayer

							James on Prayer
Message delivered by Robin Miller Curras
February 19, 2012

James, our pastor and preacher for the last several weeks ultimately calls his
congregation to prayer. He’s been encouraging, admonishing, talking about right
and wrong behavior, and wisely, in the end, calls us to prayer.

If we seek transformation for who we are and how we act, prayer is helpful tool.

Serendipitously, I was in conversation with Judy Martinovich this week and she
mentioned multiple intelligences and the different ways that people learn. Howard
Gardner is a Professor of Cognition (how we think) and Education (how we learn) at
the Harvard Graduate School of Education who introduced these ideas in 1983 and
it has impacted how are children are taught.

What we’re going to talk about is different ways to pray. I’m giving you tools for
your spiritual toolbox that you can take out and use if you’d like. I’m going to give
you different suggestions for prayer based on these multiple intelligences.

Gardner’s original theory is that there are 7 different intelligences:

Spatial

Linguistic

Logical-mathematical

Bodily-kinesthetic

Musical

Interpersonal

Intrapersonal

There is some debate whether Naturalistic and Spiritual/Existential shouldn’t be
added. FYI

For folks who are spatially intelligent. You are very aware of your surroundings.
You’re the people who walk in and get a feel for the place. When we’re all gussied
up and decorated nicely, you’re pleased. If you see that one of the boughs is hanging
lower than the other, it is hard for you to look at it because it bothers you.

You are the people who should come up to me after worship and say, “I want to be
part of the sanctuary decorating committee,” and we can brainstorm together.

I want to invite you to a small group that is forming called Art and Spirituality. The
first topic will be Praying in Color. You don’t have to be an artist. Stick figures and



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words are perfectly acceptable. We’re starting up the second Wednesday of the
month, March 14 at Judy’s house in Dover.

Here’s a prayer idea for you. Buy some flowers and with every stem that you put in
your vase or your container, lift something up in prayer.

               Lord, I pray for healing for _________________.

               Lord, help me to be less judgmental.

               Lord, I pray for peace in the Middle East.

Whatever your prayers are. And then at the end, look at the beautiful arrangement
that you’ve made and be reminded that God can create incredible masterpieces out
of the brokenness in our lives.

You can do this creative prayer with pine cones or stones.

You can write your prayers on pieces of fabric and weave them into a piece of art.

You can write your prayers on piece of paper and throw them in the fireplace and
then watch them burn and the visual image of your prayers being lifted to Heaven
will stay with you.

Bodily-kinesthetic learners like to learn by doing and you like to move. Here are
some prayer ideas for you:

If you feel comfortable, try this with me.

Hands, lift, cross, release

You can have prayer walks with God. This is also good for the Nature people who
truly see God all around in nature. Make it a point to put it on your calendar to, a
bare minimum, once a week you’re outside, because that’s your Sabbath. All you
Nature Intelligence people find the dregs of winter so discouraging because you are
feeling the most full of joy and wonder when you’re able to be outside, getting your
hands dirty in your garden. If you can walk daily, all the better. Good for your heart,
your health and your soul.

Linguistic people

You like words. You love a well-written prayer. You like beautiful liturgy. Go to the
Psalms. 150 prayers right there. And then write your own. Journaling your
prayers. Some people have a prayer journal where they just list. How about starting
your day journaling but make it a conversation with God. I recommend three pages.
Whatever thought, idea, comes into your mind, write it down and invite God to read
over your shoulder.

Logical-mathematical people



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You are the people who notice who notice when everything ties together in a
worship service. You will try to figure out why we picked that hymn. You will grow
frustrated if I do not connect the dots between thought and another in my messages.
Hardly every happens. You are excited by ideas and thoughts and concepts. You
like being made to think.

Let me tell you about a formula for prayer that may be helpful:

Start with praise. Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name,

Then put the concerns of your heart out there for God to hear: thy kingdom come,
thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us, and lead us not into
temptation but deliver us from evil

Then remind yourself as well as God that you know that God has the power to make
a difference: for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

If you want to have some more fun, go look at the Psalms. See if you can’t find a
formula in the prayers, a pattern.

For all you musical types

That’s what we’ve been doing this morning. All our songs are prayers. We picked
the Beatles this morning and are interpreting them to read as spiritual songs. Some
songs on the radio are hard to do that with, but if you are musical, I highly
recommend 99.1 Star FM. It is contemporary Christian music. And when you are
singing along or listening, you are praying. YouTube is a great resource for listening
to Christian songs without having to buy them.

Interpersonal intelligence

You’re good in relationships. You tend to be extroverts, characterized by your
sensitivity to others’ moods, feelings, temperaments, and motivations, and your
ability to cooperate in order to work as part of a group.

Get in prayer group. We have a student from Drew who has approached us about
working with us next year and one of the things that she has been part of in her
church is a weekly prayer group and I’m hoping that we can get one started here.

But maybe for you, it’s picking a prayer partner. Someone you commit to praying
with and for on a regular basis. You can check in once a week or once an evening.
Whatever you’re comfortable with.

But you like to talk and when you do, invite Jesus to sit at table with you.

Intrapersonal intelligence

You have a deep understanding of self. You know what your strengths and your
weaknesses are. You are very good and enjoy getting to know yourself better. You


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may have heard all this information about multiple intelligences and thought—ooh,
another way to explore who I am—and I’ve just given you lots of ideas to explore.
Here’s a prayer idea for you: meditation. Just resting in the presence of God.
Creating a time a space where you don’t have to think, analyze, you just have to be
and know that you are loved and accepted just as you are. If you need a word to
calm your thoughts and focus your attention, let it be peace.

If you’re visual, imagine being bathed in light.

If you’re interpersonal, imagine the warmth of a hug.

If you’re a nature lover or bodily-kinesthetic, make it into a breath prayer as you
walk. In with peace, out with me.

Sometimes the logical types need a break from their thinking and the linguistic
types from your words. Just be and know that you are loved by God.

If you want a copy of my sermon, just ask me.

Prayer is conversation with God. It is relationship with God. And we pray to God
because we know that we are loved by God. Let’s sing/pray about it!!!




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