When I was a boy I had a crush on the Australian singer, Olivia Newton-John. I probably wasn’t the only one! She was beautiful, and she sang with a soft, sweet, wispy voice. Besides collecting her albums, I saw her in concert at the Kentucky State Fair and again in Rupp Arena. I was smitten. She didn’t know I existed - it didn’t last. I could sing along with her songs, but she never heard me.

Well, far greater than ONJ, the Creator of the Universe not only knows that I exist but wants to have a relationship with me. This is just too awesome for me to even fathom. The Lord God invites us to talk with Him daily -- no, continually -- in prayer. He hears our prayers.

I pray about much and over many. I must confess, I don’t verbally talk to God continually. Sometimes it pours out; other times my attention is elsewhere. When I particularly feel the presence of God, I am often mute. When I run out of words, or when my words don’t seem very constructive, I will reiterate prayers/songs from the Bible, pray through a poignant verse, or use prayers of old.

One of my favorite prayers from my youth is known as the Prayer of Saint Francis – which is more a tribute to the Saint from Assisi than a prayer authored by him. I will read and re-read this prayer, substituting the name I’m lifting up to the Lord – my wife, my children, my grandchildren, our pastor, the President, my co-workers, my friends and loved ones -- or even the fellow that just cut me off in traffic… you might want to try inserting your own name!

“Lord, make              an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred, let    __    sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon,

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

And where there is sadness, joy.

“O Divine Master, grant that      __     may not so much seek 

To be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love.

“For it is in giving that     __     receive,

It is in pardoning that     __ _  are pardoned,

And it is in dying that     __     are born to eternal life.

Amen.”

By Paul Drake