A couple of decades ago when I first heard the term “prayer workshop,” I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
Back then, it seemed like a slightly unusual gathering, an idea perhaps concocted by a group of devout believers with a touch of whimsy. But as the years have passed, my perspective on this notion has shifted, transforming it from a curiosity into something profoundly captivating.
This past weekend cemented that change of viewpoint. I attended the 27th Prayer and Spiritual Growth Workshop sponsored by the Calhoun Church of Christ. My minister, Don Stevens, was one of the speakers.
The overall theme for the weekend was “Growing a Strong Spirit,” and Don’s three messages centered on a garden theme. After all, what better to illustrate growth than the idea of a garden?
I’d like to share with you just a couple of his main points, with apologies for leaving out many other helpful suggestions and much additional information.
When considering a Garden of Prayer, it came as no surprise that we first visited the Garden of Gethsemane. Everyone who has read the Gospels or studied Jesus’ life, knows the story of this ultimate garden – the garden where Jesus prayed so deeply and devoutly that his sweat fell as drops of blood to the ground.
This is the place where he told his disciples that his soul was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death, the place where he asked God if the upcoming cup could be taken from him, but not Jesus’ will be done, but the Father’s.
It’s also the place where his very best friends on earth could not stay awake to support him. What a low point this must have been in Jesus’ life, next only to his death on the cross. Just reading and thinking about it today can bring us much sorrow as well. Jesus went through this for me … and for you.
But wait … there’s something that’s sometimes overlooked because it’s not presented in every gospel account of this event. Luke tells us that an angel appeared in the garden to give strength to Jesus. An angel appeared to the son of God to give him strength when he prayed. How wonderful. How marvelous.
Don says, “The same thing will happen to us” when we pray. God will strengthen us. How wonderful. How marvelous.
But the point is: We have to pray. We can’t be like Peter, James and John, who failed to heed Jesus’ instructions at that time to “pray so that you do not fall into temptation.” We must approach God, and we must communicate with him.
But we don’t have to worry about getting over-formal with our prayers. We can and should pray wherever we are – for example, while we’re walking with Jesus down the sidewalk, like a child talking endlessly to his parent. Talk to God – and then listen. Ask him: What’s important for me to do today?
We should grab God by the leg like that little child – and hold onto him no matter what circumstances or situations arise. He’ll always be there. And he’ll always be endowed with the strength of the ages.
Another concept that I had not really considered until this past weekend is this: After the church was established, praying was listed as being in the top two things that the apostles were supposed to devote themselves to (Acts 6:4). Yes, only two things were listed for this “upper echelon” of believers – those whom Jesus himself had chosen, those who had personally walked with him – to concentrate on. Ministry and prayer. Kind of puts a new light on it, yes?
So because it’s that important, and because I have now run out of words, I’m planning to present “Prayer: Part 2” in one of my next columns.
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Sallie Rose Hollis lives in Ruston and retired from Louisiana Tech as an associate professor of journalism and the assistant director of the News Bureau. She can be contacted at sallierose@mail.com.
