Prayer can take many forms

David . . . came dancing before the Lord with abandon. 

Prayer can take many forms.   Consider the scripture, when David brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.   He not only had many sacrifices offered, but he also danced before God with childlike abandon.   This probably wasn’t what most people expected of their king.   They were likely surprised at his lack of decorum.   Yet David was so filled with joy that he couldn’t help but dance freely before the God who had been so good to his people.

Our prayer, too, can and should take many forms.   Don’t you sometimes feel like dancing before God in your prayer time?   Go ahead!   How about singing a song?   Give it a try.   What about marching around the room like the Israelites marched around Jericho?   Or walking meditatively through the forest, delighting in God’s gift of the created world?   Or letting out a big laugh because the Lord has made you joyful?   Or maybe kneeling before the Lord, saying the name of Jesus over and over again?

These, as well as so many other forms of prayer, can be just as valid as sitting before God in silence, praying the Rosary, or talking to God as familiarly as you would talk to your neighbor.

We can sometimes feel constrained by structured forms of prayer.   Certainly, traditional prayers have their place and can be very effective in helping us build up our relationship with God.   But God also wants us to feel free to express ourselves spontaneously.   An unscripted expression of praise, love, or gratitude may very well help us break through to a deeper relationship with God.

Remember that God is your Father.   He loves you as his very own child. Children are naturally spontaneous and free, and you can be this way before God.   He delights in seeing his children coming before him in many different ways.   Why not take a chance and become a little spontaneous as you let your Father know how much you love him?

word among us