It says in one of the gospels (if you really want the reference I can look it up for you later) that God turned His face from Christ at the last. Jesus had been used to that connection His whole life and then at his hardest moment the Father turned His face away. I think I would ask the Lord the same as He did.

BUT. as far as ritual go… there are definitely different types of praying in the church. Centering prayer for instance or Lectio Divina. You could try them though I’ve never thought of them as prayers for seekers because one is about meditating on the word of God and the other waiting on the presence of God, quieting your soul. BUT why not try it? I certainly dot see why you couldnt. you can google around for directions OR if you like I can email you a sheet with the basic instructions.

The above two are prayers I’ve done in community more. On my own, I talk to God in lots of ways. I write, I sing (worship music is essentially talking to God), I talk out loud and also in my mind. Anything works really. Hope this is helpful..

When Jesus said “My God, why have you forsaken me?” He is using a rabbinical method of teaching, in which through one short passage of scripture, he proclaims an entire portion. In this case, he is referring to Psalm 22, which starts with that phrase.

I think it is important to revere God, to know our relation to him. There are many ways to pray. It can be on our knees, or clasping hands, or however you were taught. There is nothing wrong with that. But I believe that Jesus wants our whole life to be a prayer. I often say little prayers throughout the day just as I am walking around. Someone will pop into my head for no reason and I’ll pray for them. Or going into a tough situation I’ll say some prayers. There is no necessary way to do it. I think people teach those things to children just to help them realize how important and reverent prayer should be. But we can be as reverent with our words as we are with our bodies.

I wouldn’t pray in an irreverent way. I’ve heard people praying to Jesus like he’s just one of their guy buddies. I just don’t get that. I always try to keep the relationship in perspective. He is God, I am not. It keeps me from getting prideful.

That being said, I wouldn’t worry about where you pray to God, just as long as you are praying. Also, there is nothing wrong with the ritualistic prayers that you mentioned either. Respect is not shown solely through ritual. If whatever you are doing at the time seems irreverent, then stop for a moment. Your wobblies can wait.

Okay, so I don’t want to really get into how God talks to us here, that was going to be the question of my next post, so you can ponder that for a while, but I will say that the fact that Jesus said “God why have you forsaken me?” does seem more than a little bit odd to me. Jesus was talking to himself? But then, just being fluid with my thoughts here, if Jesus can talk to himself/God, then he sure as hell must understand just how dumb that feels to us, or at the very least, to me!

So getting back to my question then… So none of you have like a method to talk to God that involves some kind of ritualistic respect?

Muslims face Mecca and do this something like 5 times a day at various given times, Jews have to wear little hats and some never shave their hair so they look a bit funny, and Hindu’s seem to bow their heads a lot and make a real mess with herbs and spices and stuff. God only knows what Buddhists do, but you see where I am going here with this?

When I was at school and they still taught Christianity, we were told to close our eyes, bow our heads, and clasp our hands together. It seems to me that this is still the preferred religious method. But these days people pray while driving to Starbucks or walking their dog, I wonder though, does the creator of the universe demand a little religious respect or can you be in the bath washing your wobblies and be talking to God?

Maybe it’s practice right. I mean Maybe to begin with you need to do the whole clasping of hands, heads bowed, eyes closed thing because that helps you clear your mind. But just as riding a bike to every ounce of my cognitive ability to learn, now I can cycle along without fear or regular crashes because after a while I just got good at it. Is that what it’s like? Can you get good at talking to God?

This is a great question; communication obviously being the critical component of any meaningful relationship.

I feel like I need to acknowledge first however that communication with God isn’t as often or obvious as it might seem when casually reading through the historical books of the Old Testament (O.T.).

For example, consider that the entire span of time represented in the O.T. is approximately 3600 years. That is almost double the time since Christ himself actually walked the earth in flesh. So, while it seems like God popped in and talked to people all the time when you casually read the stories, this is not so. In fact, God only appeared to a specific few (so far as we know) and very few times all together (if you consider the time all together).

Does that make sense?

With that said, communication with God has always been (O.T. included) an act of faith for those communicating and has more times than not, felt very one-sided by those trying to get in touch with God. I observe this because when I read through the Old Testament, I often notice people asking the same type of questions you have asked and wondered why God is so silent. I too have asked this question many times. This is of course the reason we identify ourselves with the concept of “faith”. Because there are no guarantees. We trust that God will hear and respond according to his best intention for us and for others.

I seems to me that the most difficult part of your question is not “How to talk to God?” but rather, “How does God talk to us?”.

Now Simon, I have to be truthful here. I am not sure how far to take this question. You have asked it specifically in reference to the Old Testament. There is much to say that might be helpful for you but I also don’t want to over due it.

Let me just say it this way…

There is much to say about the difference in how God communicated in the Old Testament as opposed to the New Testament. In fact, broadly speaking, the reason there is a division between the “Testaments” at all is because God established a new way of relating with humanity. For example “Testament” in another word for “Covenant” or “Agreement”. In other words, the way God relates to man (his covenant, if you will) in the O.T. is different in many ways God relates and communicates in the N.T. For example, from O.T. to N.T. the basis of our ability to relate to God at its very nature changed in ways such as: 1. Who Can Know God 2. How They Know God (in daily practice) and then 3. How Much of God can be Fully Known by Man.

With that said, in the N.T. first and foremost, God’s self-revelation/communication is through the person of Jesus Christ (God in flesh). This way of relating/communicating to us is the most personal way possible.

Consider how the writer of Hebrews distinguished between how God related to man in the O.T. verses the N.T…

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NLT) – Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.

That is, God experiencing the fullness the human condition so that when we do draw near in prayer (communication) we can do so with confidence knowing that even he experienced the silence of God much like we do. So much so, that in “the silence of God” Jesus himself questioned “God, why have you forsaken me?”

Well, that gives me confidence in prayer that Jesus understands our doubt. Faith is not the absence of doubt. Quite the opposite; it’s our doubt that makes it possible for us to have faith/trust.

Also, in the New Testament Jesus said that he would lead us and speak through the Holy Spirit.

Look to what Jesus said prior to his death and resurrection…

John 16: 7, 13-15 (NCV) – …when I go away, I will send the Helper to you. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come. 13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words, but he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is to come. 14 The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me, because he will take what I have to say and tell it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take what I have to say and tell it to you.

So…

God communicates to us first through Jesus. Which is why we look to him first and foremost as the center of our faith.

Then God communicates to us through the Holy Spirit, of whom Jesus said would communicate what he wanted to say.

Then I’d say God speaks to us through the church and the scriptures. I appreciate what others have said about this.

So when I go to God, I talk to him much like I do in any relationship (sometimes feeling great/sometimes not) and I trust he hears and listens. Then, like in any other meaningful relationship I try and listen. I try and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to me. I think he does this through his word (scriptures) and into my heart and spirit and through the community of faith (the church). I listen to both as a conduit for God’s leading through the Holy Spirit.

I could go on to show more bible references but am afraid I have made the mistake of rambling on to long as it is. I am just trying to be thoughtful about your question from my perspective and understanding. I am sorry if I have chased any rabbits here.

Shane

I believe in what some call the “Judeo-Christian God” (although I also believe that there is only one God). I know that I can speak to him through prayer and that he listens to me. How do I know this? Through my faith, and belief that the Bible is true. So I know that he hears me, even if I can’t hear a response audibly.

If I pay attention, I can witness an answer to my prayers. I know that God loves me, and being Love itself, God wants what is best for me. So I may not get exactly what I ask for when I pray, and I am good with that. Offering up my prayers to God, I trust him to handle things, and therefore I can let it go and not worry about it anymore.

Now there are several ways that God speaks back, and I see them if I pay attention. He speaks through his word in the Bible. Sometimes I just read until it convicts me. He speaks through the actions of others. He speaks through our consciences. And once in awhile we can observe miracles. Even so, there are no guarantees that what we experience as God talking to us, just strong evidence.

I hold that its really important to know what kinds of things would be “of God” and to learn about the nature of God. When we know these things then we can be more confident that whatever we experience is of God or not.

Anyway, a bit of rambling, but I hope that helps you in some way. To sum up, we speak with him through prayer, and know that he receives our prayer through faith, and trust him to answer our prayer through faith, and realize how he is answering our prayer through faith. God desires for us to know him, but to know him we have to have faith. There is no way around it.

So, “What’s the difference between talking to God and just talking to yourself?”

Well, many people don’t see a difference these days. The reason for that is that we’ve been in an Instant Gratification society since the invention of the microwave. We expect our conversations to happen instantly. I say something, you respond, etc. But God doesn’t – and almost never has, really – work that way. That’s because His timing is completely separate from our own. So I believe this is why some people may feel that they’re just talking to themselves. They don’t get the response when they want it.

Me? I just talk. Not nearly as often as I should, mind you. But I believe He hears me, just the same. He’s everywhere, you know.

Jesus said we should call Him “Abba,” which, roughly translated, equals “daddy.” Maybe I should feel more at home in beginning my day with a simple, “Hey Dad. Gettin’ ready to go out there today, and I sure could use some help . . .”

Tom Holladay wrote this about prayer, “People ask me, ‘how long should I pray about this situation?’ Pray until on of two things happens: God changes the situation, or God changes you.”

By the time I was 12 years old, I already knew that this was not the Jesus of the new testament, or even the God of the old Testament. That this did nothing to show the “good news” of Jesus, or the overwhelming love of humankind that would cuse Jesus to only show his direct anger at the money-changers of the temple feeding off the poor and destitute trying to follow the law.

anyway…I have been fortunate to be exposed to people like Rich Mullins, Larry Norman, to Kevin Maxx, ragamuffins, I call them in honor of Rich. People who for all the world, just by looking at them you would realize there was something different about them in a very real way, not because they dressed to a certain standard, or because they refused to partake in certain activities…in fact you were almost as likely to find Rich in a pub with a pint of stout, then you would to find him in a church. King David was the original ragamuffin, I believe. A man with a heart for God. A seeker of truth, an acknowledger of his mastakes…living his life out in the open for all to see and to judge….all his mistakes, all his successes, desperately crying out to God for answers and wisdom….

So, in direct response to the here and now….I dont feel it is any different..when our hearts cry out to God…..he is always listening….most of the time it is our own interference, lack of understanding, distractions…all of the above that you mentioned that keeps us from hearing him…..In a world full of mass communications, it is more difficult to seperate that still small voice of truth from the clamor surrounding us.

For me, there is also doubt behind the whole equation….I relate so well to Thomas….always having to see, to touch the impossible….Like you, I cannot reason beyond science, so I have to rely on faith, and trust that God is trying to reach me….and in those times when I cant seem to find him….trust that it is because he is waiting for me to learn another lesson and take that next step on my journey towards “Samadhi” or truth and enlightenment.

Keep looking, Simon, and he will be found of you….
CD

i just want to add a sci-fi insert/comment here… i read a book a long time ago about operations people had to sort of make their brain wireless, like our phones and laptops and whatnot. there was a lot of other cool stuff going on other than that, i’m not gonna get all into it right now. but people basically talked in their minds and didn’t use their other devices.

i sort of imagine that to be the case with God, him not needing a cell phone and all, because of the way he intricately designed connections (wires/technology) in our minds.

that being said, a good and loving father likes to hear his children talking. it’s pleasure for his ears. if that’s a basis you can approach it with then talking to God is easier.

on the other hand, if you imagine her/him up there being busy, surfing galaxies, being aloof, and not caring then why bother to speak to him/her?

but if i made a little person out of clay and they could talk to me, i think i’d want to get to know that little person and be really nice and care for them.

i like this blog – it makes me feel creative… i probably wrote too much