Sacred snippet from NZ prayer room - 10 Jul 2005

I sat in the old blue chair before the prayer station presenting thoughts about  “Our Father” .

Music was playing softly – panpipes – something about “my soul longs after you”.

I had come to pray.

I was alone.  It was so serene here.

My mind wandered as I thought about all the people who had sat on this chair.

They had pondered questions about “Our Father” too.

They had journeyed through their own pasts contemplating their earthly Fathers and their Heavenly Father, the similarities the differences and their relationships to both.

I thought of their struggles with their relationships, their failures, losses, successes and joys, and how they had been inspired, on this old blue chair, to share them with their God in prayer.

A sacred place this old blue chair.

Sun streamed down on me through the skylight and I saw dust particles dancing in that stream of light, so amazing, sparkling and dancing freely, simple dust made beautiful by the light.

Like lives.

Time stood still.

I rallied. I was supposed to be praying!

This reflection was from a Salvation Army 24-7 prayer room in Nelson, New Zealand, which focused on aspects of The Lord's Prayer. The Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga is now partway through  a year of 24-7 prayer which finishes in February 2006.   The Nelson prayer room