Making Space: A Reflection on Partnering with God in Prayer

The Mid-Week Missive is based on Community Rules: An Episcopal Manual by Ian Markham and Kathryn Glover, both administrators at Virginia Theological Seminary. I am working my way through this book, reading and writing  through the lens of our Life Together as part of the Christ the King Episcopal Church family, as well as part of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. 

Rule #15: Partner with God in Prayer. Markham and Glover’s reflection on this rule can be found in their book, which can be purchased here. 

How does this rule apply to our Life Together at Christ the King? Markham and Glover assert that “[Prayer] is the space where we seek to align our will with the will of God to further our service in the world.” I agree wholeheartedly, but the challenge for me and likely many of us is making the “space” for prayer. I have never succeeded in being prayerful when I counted on it happening spontaneously or finding its way into my schedule. I have to schedule time every day for prayer to ensure that it gets done. Once the time is marked on my calendar, I then have to protect that time, as if it is the most important, non-negotiable event on my calendar.

On weekdays, these times are 8:30am and 4:30pm, when we pray the Daily Office in the CtK sanctuary. This sort of prayer includes praying the Church’s corporate prayers for the Church and the world combined with personal intercessions, thanksgivings, and supplications.

I encourage all who have yet to find a prayer rhythm and routine that suits your temperament to commit to joining God and God’s people in the fruitful discipline of daily prayer, whatever that may look like for you. It has had a profound impact on me, and I trust that it will for you too. The Good News is that in prayer, you are never alone. You always have a consistent, loving, and faithful prayer partner in God!