One of the two most important commandments that Yeshua (Jesus) told us to obey is to love the Lord, our God, with all our heart, soul, and might.
But I wonder how many of us feel that way when we pray, or just repeat what someone else wrote because we are supposed to?
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When I was a kid going to Shabbat services at the Reform synagogue I grew up attending, I always felt that there was something wrong with repeating the prayers from the Siddur (prayer book). I thought, “If I am supposed to be praying to God, why am I using someone else’s words? Shouldn’t I be praying to him directly from my heart?”
Little did I realize back then, LONG before I really knew God or accepted his Messiah, Yeshua, that I was on the right track.
I still feel somewhat coerced into praying to God when I am repeating prayers that are not my own. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are some prayers that are fine to repeat because they are part of a service and not meant to be from our heart as much as a community prayer, where our prayers are strengthened through unity of purpose.
But when it comes to certain prayers, such as the Amidah, which is a very long prayer and said three times a day (and even more during Yom Kippur services), I just believe that an intimate prayer to God, which is what the Amidah is, should be personal and not “professional”.
Have you ever felt that you were bored with the service? Have you wished that the person giving the sermon would stop already?
I have, many times.
I believe if any sermon goes on longer than 15-20 minutes, it’s too long and you’re probably giving too much for anyone to really absorb. I often gave the Shabbat message at the houses of worship I attended, and I could see after 15 minutes or so the eyes of the people in the congregation begin to glaze over, like a deer in the headlights, and that meant I had lost most of them.
I confess there have been times when that one person who, when the Rabbi says, “I guess I need to close” says, “Go on, Brother- preach it! We have the time.”, well…I just want to gag him, tie him up, and lock him up in a closet just to make sure he can’t keep talking.
I am not saying that you should not go to services, or join in the prayers, but if you are feeling that this is more like forced labor than a labor of love, you need to ask yourself if you are really getting what you need from that place.
If your attendance is becoming laborious, I believe it is as much the fault of the leadership of your house of worship as it is your own need to strengthen your faith. Prayer should be fulfilling: emotionally, spiritually, and even physically. There have been times, sadly too few and far between, when I am praying to God and I feel his touch; it would cause me to tear-up, once in a blue moon even cry, and when that communion with the Lord happens I feel ethereal- like an out-of-body experience, and I know God is with me and his Ruach haKodesh (Holy Spirit) is still alive within me.
It is a feeling that is hard to describe: a sense of being totally enveloped by an absolute love.
So, to finish today’s message (“Shut that guy up! I am done.”) how you feel when praying is an important way to know if you are truly loving God or just going through the motions. If you honestly know that you prayers are not with all your heart, soul, and might, then you need to work on your faith, to remind yourself of all the things God has done in your life (how often we forget that, especially when times are hard), and consider maybe going to a house of worship that fulfills you.
Of course, if the sermons aren’t that great but the kibbitzing with everyone there is wonderful, you can survive the sermons. No one knows whether you are praying the words from the book or from your heart.
And I believe it is never wrong to simply forget the prayer book and pray from your heart. I guarantee that you will feel closer to God that way than you ever will praying someone else’s words.
Thank you for being here and please “like” and comment on these messages, which helps me to know if I am doing well and also to get more exposure on the Internet. And share these messages with everyone you know, even non-believers. Hey, after all, you never know how fertile the soil is until you plant a seed in it.
That’s it for this week, so l’hitraot, happy holidays, and an early Shabbat Shalom!