Prayer Course

Dr. of Spirituality

Lesson 7 Response

Denise L. Graves

1.       Explain how the ladder of prayer has affected your understanding of prayer.

I have never explored the leap from asking God for something and thanking God for ITS will and provisions.  Somehow I moved from “now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.  Bless mommy…..” to affirming God's intention, will and provisions.  Before this lesson I did not know what to do with those whose behavior produced things and situations I did not like.  So I continued to use Bible scriptures verbatim just to assure I was praying according to the “Word.” For so long my prayers were “give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses.”   The routine of asking God for my needs was complicated. I often would rationalize that since God sees and knows everything then God does not need me to ask for what I want.   Because to ask God for my needs was a sign that I was aware of my lack, guilt, and sin.  The ladder of prayer explains the evolution from asking for needs to be met to asking for freedom from bondage to the arrogance of praying for “those who spitefully use me/enemies” (now this feels so self-righteous) to joining and to humility.

Prayers of need are motivated by my underlying feelings of lack and vulnerability. It never occurred to me that when I tell God what I need through the act of prayer, I am really saying in ignorance that I know more than God. The act of saying to the creator of the universe “you don’t know how to sustain your creation for your intention so I am going to tell you what I need” feels so insane after this lesson.

Prayers of freedom are motivated by feelings of lack and guilt. As I ask for things of this world or overcoming my enemies, I am holding myself hostage.  This deliverance that I request keeps me more deeply tied to the illusions that more is better and power over others is the optimum position.

Prayers of joining are to acknowledge the common goal of love with all.  The word love has been so corrupted, to presume that someone I perceive separate from me as sharing this goal requires journeying to God.  It requires recognizing that only together can we know the peace of heaven.

Prayers of humility represents full communion with God.  At this fourth step on the ladder, we know what Jesus knew – there is no separation between myself and God.  There is no lack or unworthiness.  We are willing and able to give up any barrier to the truth of connection to God.

2.        Write a prayer of need, freedom, joining and humility.

a.       Dear God,

I find myself in need of a new work location that pays a better salary, has spiritual co-workers who honor and respect me, where I receive appropriate recognition and the people we work with and for by summer of this year.  In the name of Jesus, Thank You

b.      Freedom

Dear God,

I feel so small in my work environment since the director arrived.  It seems that he usurps the recognition, prime conversations and gives little time to partnering with me to do this work.  I am angered by this.  It reminds me of surreal it felt when no local business would fund the organizing work in and I was no longer a project director.  I feel the presence of racism and patriarchy once again.  This director has assumed oversight of all national issues, assigned himself as the key organizer and remove me from every place I held leadership in this organization. Please free me from this.  I pray to see and receive my redemption provided for me by Jesus.  In the name of Jesus I pray, thank you and Amen.

c.       Joining

Dear God,

The director and my two male friends share the goal of heaven.  It appears that we each seek to arrive to heaven by a different path.  We have been joined to walk together for a purpose. I pray for heavenly rewards and the will of God concerning us. In the name of Jesus, Thank you, Amen

d.      Humility

Dear God,

I surrender my life to the will of God.  I take my cue from Jesus who communed with God.    I accept that the affairs of my life are mediated by the Holy Spirit.   I release my desires and hopes for things, power over people, a need to judge, ignorance of God and other barriers. I see only the good of God.  I line up with the will of God and am at peace at how Gods’ will unfolds in my life.  I walk with my brothers and sisters in peace to heaven.  This is true. I accept this truth. In the name of Jesus, my elder brother; thank you and Amen.

**********************

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. 

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers and lots of free online sermons for your use. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar