The less you speak the better

Ecclesiastes 5:2 Don't be too quick to tell God what you think he wants to hear. God's in charge, not you -- the less you speak the better.

This was the reading for my Sabbath rest last Sunday, and it really struck me how often my prayer life consists of a lot of jabbering away at God: praying intercessions for friends who are ill or in distress, petitioning for my own needs, even counting my blessings and praising God can be about a lot of words and chatter in my head. It's not that it's wrong to do those things, it's just that all those words and stories, the incessant stream of verbiage, can become a wall that serves to keep God out. I think that is the place of contemplative practices, like writing sacred icons. I worked on mine yesterday, and I entered into such a space of deep peace. As I prayerfully work with my hands, my mind empties and becomes open to God's indwelling. It helps me drop the wall, let go of it, and allow space, time, silence and emptiness. Then God has room to enter in.

It reminded me of a poem, which is framed on my wall. Mary Oliver expresses it much better than I can:

Praying

It doesn't have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway

into thanks and, a silence in which
another voice may speak.

Prayer: Dear God, Remind me that my purpose today is to listen and be open to You so that I may dwell in Your Presence. Amen.