Something that happens with increasing frequency in a party where everybody is on the floor, swirling and moving passionately to good music under the expert guidance of a professional emcee is the host turning to me and saying, “Bob, will you please pray!”
I, also am into the music and into the dancing, maybe not on the floor with my two left feet, but in all probability watching my wife who still captivates me with her elegant movements, and when the host turns to me, as he did last night, I am caught by surprise as happened to me last night at my dear friend’s sixtieth do.
But the surprise in me was but for a moment as I looked around at the huge extended family of my dear friend and the hall packed with his friends and his well-wishers, and realised that God was there. It was not a divisive moment between a good party time and prayer time, but just an acknowledgment of a happy God, already in the room.
My job I realized was just getting everybody to say hello to Him, and I think I did just that. “Our having a good time,” I said, “is exactly what Someone in this hall wants, and that Someone is the One, who has allowed our dear friend good health and happiness all these his sixty years!”
In my mind, I called God up to the front as we would call any distinguished guest and I asked the people to publicly thank Him, and we with our eyes closed in deep respect did just that.
For me prayer is a conversation, a talking to that happens between the Creator and me. It ain’t a ritual, and when I hear prayers uttered or repeated meaninglessly I shudder, because it’s often like the good morning messages I see in my WhatsApp inbox every morning that are not directed to me, but just words directed to all and sundry. I would, and I am sure God would, love to have a personal message said to Him.
We need to understand that God loves a conversation especially when we are enjoying ourselves. Most of us have these long monologues only when going through a problematic issue and then down on our knees we fervently repeat meaningless ritualistic prayers.
Pray like you are speaking to your dad. Pray like you are sharing good news and the feeling of happiness and telling dad on the phone what a good time you are having, and thanking him for making it possible.
I’m not sure how the others in the hall took my praying but all I felt as the dancing resumed, and I walked back to my seat was God sitting in the next chair and smiling at the whole gathering..!
————————————————-
Would love to hear from you in the COMMENTS section below…and IF YOU WANT TO RECEIVE BOB’S BANTER EVERYDAY, PLEASE SEND YOUR NAME AND WHATSAPP PHONE NO TO [email protected]
————————————————–
ENROLL FOR THE WRITER’s COURSE…
…Get trained to write powerfully by the author, whose article you just read! Don’t wait! Send a thumbs up for details to 9892572883 and let Robert Clements train you in his easy and comfortable way Let the power of WORDS spoken and written effectively and forcefully, change your life! Join the Writer’s and Speaker’s Course, July Batch TODAY! Send a thumbsup to 9892572883 now!
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.
Amazing Robert, prayer is a dialogue, just talk to him, no matter what may be the moment, joy, sadness, but I fully agree with you that , remembering God at all times makes one a true child of God… thank you for this article.
Thank you Bruce
You can be assured none of my parties happen without a prayer! Prayer before a party starts… prayer during the party, involving all the people around ( the grace ). But its really nice for you to put up an article on this… specially considering that the modern world of today looks at it so differently…
Thank you Sarita.
Joyful moments and happy memories are to be celebrated. What better way than to begin and end with a prayer.
Thank you Shylaja!
Thank you Bob for sharing your experience of how you brought God right into the heart of the party, especially when many of today’s youth shy away at the mention of God. Indeed, I am the Lord of the Dance says he. The dance of Life, and he is present at every moment if all our lives. He wants us to call on him even at wildly happy times and not only when in dire straits. Congratulations on what you did. May I too have the courage to do likewise.
Thank you Melaniie for your kind words!
‘Pray without ceasing,’says the Bible. ‘Prayer changes things, ‘ it is said.Men who live in darkness,recently,in the typical way these days, attacked the principal of a school for,as usual, saying theLord’sPrayer,at the time of morning assembly. Evil deeds by the ones who are playingGod destroy the joy, love and peace in society.