Like a Dog with a Prayer-Bone
Sunday’s first reading, the narrative of Abraham begging the Lord to save Sodom if He can find but 50… 10… 5 righteous people, has been amusing me all week. Abraham’s blind persistence is touchingly comedic; he just won’t let it go! Our dog with a bone!
It is easy, too easy to draw parallel lines between Sodom and our current society. So, thinking instead of the perpendicular and intersecting lines leads me to ponder, “Where am I in this story?” I am probably somewhere in a tower smack in the middle of Sodom enjoying my craft brew, looking at the street below full of crazy people. Am I wise to the fact of an Abraham begging to the Lord to show me mercy?
Dollar to donuts, those of you reading or listening to this reflection petition the Lord daily on behalf of someone who has no clue you are praying for them. And likewise, no matter how great you think your doing someone is probably praying for you. And you may be thinking, “They should spend their prayers on those in need, not waste them on me. I’m terrific.”
And isn’t this sort of a double-blind prayer circle an incredible thing!? I wonder, Who is interceding for me? Because I’m rather self-absorbed and small-minded, I am betting they are asking the Lord for something wiser than I would be asking for myself. In other words, what we pray for for ourselves does not necessarily sync with what the Lord or others may know we need. I’m sure the folks down in Sodom would not have asked for themselves what Abraham prayed for on their behalf.
We remember easily that the Lord decided to give Abraham decedents as numerous as the stars, but that does not appear to have been Abraham’s prayer for himself. No, he’s not praying for himself, but rather, for Sodom. Likewise, perhaps things here would be better if we did not ask the Lord for this or that on our own behalf, but accepted that our spiritual well-being is better left to the Lord and others. And instead, conversely, spent our prayer time considering others and their needs.
Questions for Reflection:
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- How much time do I spend praying for my own self vs. others? Might I make any changes?
- In a few weeks time, after implementing some changes, I might ask myself, what sort of movement do I notice within me as I pray more for others and less for my own self-perceived needs.
- What changes have occuried in connection to the people or situations I have been praying for?
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© 2019 Marilyn MacArthur, all rights reserved
Writing to Pray 