A One-Word Prayer

Last updated on: November 21, 2013 at 6:10 am by Amy Julia Becker

A One-Word Prayer 2013-11-19T15:41:07-05:00 Amy Julia Becker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

(Might just be my favorite picture of prayer ever.)

“What’s one word or verse I can pray for you?”

Those were the words from a friend I received earlier this week.

One word, or one verse, that sums up my needs before God right now. In this season. This season in which God is beginning to feel quite near quite often, for the first time in a long time. This season in which I am waking up to God’s presence, and to God’s absence. This season in which I am not just pretending to be grateful but actually feeling grateful. This season in which I seem to have forgotten how to pray.

At first, I had no idea how to respond.

But I let the question sit. It was kind of as if I placed it on the seat beside me and then drove through my normal day–drop-off at school, work at the library, doctor’s visit with Marilee. It rattled around and slid under the seat and I turned a corner and there it was again.

And then, suddenly, I knew.

“Faithfulness,” I wrote back. “I want to be faithful to that which God has given me (family, writing, friendships, etc.), but I want to ignore that to which I’m not called, even when it tempts me, distracts me, etc.”

And now that question I couldn’t answer, that persistent rattle, has weight, solidity. It is a prayer for myself. Not just that I would be faithful in the sense I wrote above, but also that I would be one who is full of faith. I am prone to wander into doubt. But I want to be one who is full of faith. And it is through faith in the one who has called me that I can let go of the good things to which I am not called. Finally, this word is a reminder of who God is. The one who has always been faithful to me.

What’s your word?

Faith

family

prayer

Previous Post

November 19, 2013

What's Up with the New York Times' Ethicist Using the R-Word as an Insult? Or, Why the Intelligentsia Still Thinks It's Okay to Make Fun of People with Intellectual Disabilities

Next Post

November 25, 2013 Talking Taboo: An Interview with Enuma Okoro and Erin Lane About Women, Faith, and Hot Topics

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Articles Books Disability Down Syndrome Faith family Perfectly Human Uncategorized

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 September 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz