Our prayers often resemble giving a speech in a freshman year public-speaking class. We’re trying to sound formal. Presenting the facts with rigidity. Presenting a petition we don’t really believe in – fulfilling an assignment.  

Prayer is designed to be communication between us and God. He invites us to his table for a meal, into his presence for a conversation.  

Listening is an essential part of conversing. Jesus implores us to hear his voice. How else will we obey? How else will we know who he is?  

The spirit is calling out to us. It beckons us to discourse. There are times and places for the petitions, the speeches, the pleas. But what prayer is really about is a daily conversation, equal parts listening and speaking.  

One challenge is that we don’t really converse very well, even with one another. A lot of our conversation is just waiting until we can talk about ourselves. Always on standby with a story or a point that displays our knowledge and gets the conversation back into our favorite arena – ME.  

Listening is the key to any conversation. Otherwise, it is just two entities giving self-aggrandizing soliloquies to one another.  

Today is an opportunity to pray. To listen and hear the voice of God. To respond in kind. To interact with Divinity. There is no greater gift than the chance to be in communion with Jesus. But let’s make sure we make listening a priority.