That Place

There is a place in prayer, a place beyond the articulated prayer words, beyond the longing and asking, even beyond speaking in tongues, yelling, shouting, claiming and proclaiming. There is a place of calm serenity, which we can only get to when we go through all of the above.

Elijah ate the angelic supper and went on his way. He went through the earthquakes and the fires, he climbed the mountain despite all the difficulties both inner and outer, but it was only effective when he heard the still and small voice (1 Kings 19).

We start with praising God, we move onto worshiping, we partake communion, we do all these things, but real prayer and real communion in the Spirit is when everything is silenced and a realization of our union with Him grabs us so intimately and so profoundly that we just know that He is and there is nothing more to add to it.

We often confuse prayer with wishing well. I would like to suggest that real prayer starts when we are beyond all that is distracting, beyond all that is from us and spring forth from all that He is.

Before the psalmist says: "“Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10), he talks about calming of the roaring waters and mountains, moving of kingdoms, ceasing of wars, breaking of spears and burning of chariots.

There is a place of union with the God of the cross, where all violence, anger and fury is dissolved, where peace, rest and love springs through the Holy Spirit. And unless we get to that place in prayer and flow with Him, we won't see much of the anointing and power.

No matter how well I articulate and describe that place, it would never be enough. It is a place to be experienced by you. Those who have entered it, can relate with what I say. Those who don't, may confuse it with the feelings of comfort they may feel during prayers. But I believe there's always more, much more than what we have experienced. The desert fathers and mystics of the church are an excellent example of what a life of prayer can look like.

To come to the end of me and the beginning of Him in me is an eternal moment no one should miss or be deprived from every day. As we spend more time in prayer, we will realize how quickly we start getting there and how it effects our lives and characters. The man who has the Lord on his lips, smile and fingertips is a rich man. He lacks nothing, because he depends on nothing. He moves from place to place but is still in the same place: in the bosom of the Father, from where our Savior came and returned us to. From THERE we pray: "let your kingdom come and your will be done, Abba Father! We love you!"