“Dear Santa, I want a puppy…”

— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —

Thank you, Lauren, for your meditation, “When God is (or seems) silent.” Prayer is something I, too, grapple with and I am intrigued by Pete Grieg’s book. 

Despite my years, I am far from wise. I tend often to approach prayer as a small child on Santa’s knee.  “I want a puppy.” “Please heal _____.” “Please protect _____.” As Lauren wrote, there will always be disappointment – even anger – at seemingly unanswered requests. 

The night before the recent US election, a notification was sent on the Internet. At 6pm, EST, Christians were called upon to participate in a prayer vigil to “save our country”. My own sentiments as an American – and as a Christian – were diametrically opposed to this vigil’s objective. I too had been praying, mostly for widespread peaceful acceptance of whatever outcome. Of course, the “other side” won. Did they pray more, better, more fervently? 

So what good did my prayer do? It brought me to another level of God’s presence. It brought me comfort (albeit slim) in my resignation. And it tested, as Lauren wrote, whether I am “going to trust [God] in this.” 

In trying to come to terms with the meaning of prayer, I turned to my two heroes, my go-to authorities in matters of spirituality: Richard Rohr and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. 

Richard’s key phrase is “Prayer is Resonance.” “It is primarily about changing our mind so that things like infinity, mystery and forgiveness can resound within us. [It is] something that happens to us.” 

And from his prison cell, shortly before he was murdered by the Nazis, Bonhoeffer did not ask for freedom. Not even that the horror end. Instead in his “Morning prayer for fellow prisoners“, Bonhoeffer asks merely for closeness:  

“O God, early in the morning I cry to you. 
Help me to pray 
And to concentrate my thoughts on you. 
I cannot do this alone. 
In me there is darkness. 
But with You there is light. 
I am alone, but You do not abandon me. 
I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help. 
I am restless, but with you there is peace. 
In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience. 
I do not understand your ways, 
But you know the way for me. 
… 
Lord, have mercy on me! 
Deliver me and make me live now 
Responsibly before You and before men. 
Lord, whatever this day brings me, 
Let your Name be praised!“ 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I will continue to pray for healing and for protection. It seems the least I can do to help sometimes. But most of all, I’ll bear in mind the final verse of that well-know hymn, “What a friend we have in Jesus”.  

Are we weak and heavy-laden 
Cumbered with a load of care? 
Precious savior still our refuge- 
Take it to the Lord in prayer. 
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? 
Take it to the Lord in prayer. 
In his arms He’ll take and shield thee, 
Thou wilt find a solace there. 

Joseph M. Scriven

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The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.

Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.

We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.

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