Putting Feet to Prayers

Years ago, you would often hear at church, “put feet to your prayers”. That sounds simple enough, but what does it mean? Back in the day, the issue was, God doesn’t need our help. It was sort of derided, this idea of putting feet to your prayers. Prayer was often seen as a process of petitioning God and then getting out of God’s way. It could be very confusing, but worse, made praying more of an exercise in hopeful futility.

What I was never taught was that we are God’s prayer. If you read the Psalms or the Prophets, you see sweeping statements of God’s justice for all, freeing prisoners, feeding the hungry, helping the homeless. But when did God ever actually do that? And when does God ever actually do that today? And that is when it finally struck me, putting feet to our prayers is us living in this world as God’s daily prayer.

It is our acts of justice, freeing the prisoners, feeding the hungry, housing the homeless and so much more that God needs in the world. How we ever got to a point where we don’t have to take responsibility for this world is beyond me. The idea that God knows what we need before we ask now makes sense. We pray to be aware of what God already knows. It is us, living the prayers of God that put our feet to these needs and do what we know is the right thing.

I pray daily and often. I know I need it and it helps me to remember why I am who I am. This will sound crazy or egotistical, please accept it as it is intended: a suggestion. I am God’s living prayer to the world around me. The Spirit affirms what I know should be justice and what I know I should do. Prayer simply makes me aware, tunes me in to the needs and hurts and pains all around me. It is not about me or being special, it is about being aware and about seeing the face of Jesus in the face of every person I see, in every beautiful flower, shrub or tree.

Friends, God is everywhere. Jesus came to put a face on the presence of God. Let’s become living prayers, lets seek to see God’s face everywhere and in everyone. Becoming prayer will take a lifetime but remember, the journey begins with but one step.

TMM