“Thoughts On ‘Prayer’” is one of a 12 part series of posts reflecting on the songs of Julia Wade’s CD, Solos, with lyrics from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and Music by Peter Link.

If there’s one thing that has changed dramatically in my life over the years it’s the way I pray.  As I’ve changed my concept of what God is, prayer has naturally evolved from one thing to another.

The truth is, people pray in various sundry ways, and I give honor to most all of them.  If you lie down prostrate several times a day in the street and face Mecca, I consider that a powerful discipline and sometimes wish I could be so committed.  If you chant strange words whose meanings tangle in foreign-ness, so be it.

I had a wife once who filled the house with such dedication and brought great peace to an otherwise difficult relationship.  I have found sometimes that simply sitting in stillness and watching my breath, the intake and release, is a most rich and valuable form of prayer or meditation – especially when I’m faced with life’s tensions and pressure.

My simple and basic definition of prayer is to do whatever it takes to get closer to God, to de-emphasize the human ego and open mind to the more spiritual clarities of the moment.

Certainly, for me, music composition is a deep and fulfilling form of prayer.  Before I write a song, I tune up by praying and knowing that the muse in me is simply my connection with God and I know that the best of my music passes through me from God’s mouth to your ears, so to speak, though I no longer believe that God has a mouth.  :o)

So when it came time to dive into the song Prayer working with our lyricist, Mary Baker Eddy’s POV, I turned to my favorite passage from her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures to begin the song.

Thoughts unspoken are not unknown
to the divine Mind.
Desire is prayer;
and no loss can occur
from trusting God with our desires,
that they may be moulded and exalted
and exalted!
before they take form
in words and in deeds.

Years ago I gave up praying for things.  One day it just made absolutely no sense to me to do so based upon my understanding of a God who “knows all things” to begin with.  It seemed hopelessly redundant to beg for objects or success or victory for that matter.  I think of prayer now as a deep knowing, or sometimes just simply heartfelt gratitude.

Trusting God with our desires really speaks volumes to me.  I hear from others more and more today the words, “Just put it out there.”  God already knows what we want, really what we need, and I believe in a God who supplies every true need, so who am I to try to remind God what I think is necessary in my life.

God is not moved by the breath of praise
to do more than He has already done,
nor can the infinite do less
than bestow all good, …

I’m not big on the so-called praise and worship type Christian songs that one hears so much today.  I find them usually far too thin in content and even sometimes silly in their endeavor – as if we’re going to flatter God into going the extra mile for us.  To me that’s humanizing God, like one might do to gain one’s boss’s favor or attention.  “Wow, that’s a great lookin’ tie you got on today Mr. CEO.  Sort of an aristocratic blue.”

Your boss may be impressed by your observation, but I can’t believe in a God who cares about that sort of thing.

So this knowing that I try to engender is an acceptance of God in my life, moment to moment, a turning to positivity, to a more spiritual approach to all endeavors, to a higher understanding of being.  For my money, this is prayer.

But, like I said earlier, get it any way you can.  If you have to stand on your head to get closer to God, so start standin’.

God is Love.
Can we ask Him to be more?
God is intelligence.
Can we inform the infinite Mind
of anything He does not already comprehend?
“God is Love.”
More than this we cannot ask,
higher we cannot look,
farther we cannot go.

Essentially, what this essence of the song says to me is that since God is Love, in order to be closer to God, we need to love.  This is not always as easy as it seems.  Sometimes it’s tough to love when our egos get in the way.  It’s then that I struggle to awaken to this all-encompassing word, love.

Move ego aside and just love – love the person, love the situation, love the initial concept that started the endeavor in the first place, love the Father if that works for you.  Love yourself.  Love love.

More than this we cannot ask,
higher we cannot look,
farther we cannot go.

The dictionary defines the word ‘desire’ as: expect and wish, hope, trust.  The real question here is what do we desire?  A thing?  A result?  A fortune?  A triumph?

I think not.

If God is intelligence then He already knows what’s best for all of us.  Can you credit Him for that?  Can we really allow His choices to supersede our own?  Do we think we know better?

Desire is prayer;
and no loss can occur
from trusting God with our desires, …

Can we really put our trust in God?  If we can, then …

The unspoken desire
does bring us nearer the source
of all existence and blessedness.

And isn’t this ultimately what we are trying to do with our prayers?  To get closer to God?  This is our desire – not riches or success or even peace for that matter.  By getting closer to God, all that God wants for us will be attained.  Trust it.  It is the truth.

… no loss can occur
from trusting God with our desires,
that they may be moulded and exalted
and exalted!
before they take form
in words and in deeds.