Just Pray

“Did you see the news?” my mom exclaimed coming out of the computer room. Her tone let me know this was something more than the typical thought provoking articles we generally discuss. I hop onto the news site before she even begins to tell me what the article is about and I see a picture of my beloved Rabbi in a hospital situation. The shock of seeing him like this is immense although the smile on his face shows me that emuna is working in full force. I read the article quickly wondering what I should be praying on and I’m struck with a realization that has been tickling my mind for some weeks.

We should regularly be praying for those we love. I know, I know. That sounds so simple and obvious why would I write about it? Well, the fact is, that in my life, it is exactly those “simple” things that tend to get pushed to the side for “later”. When something sounds so easy it’s easy to ignore.

I’m embarrassed to admit that when I read Rabbi Arush’s advice that we should pray for each of our children for five minutes per day I laughed a little. “Five minutes?! That’s all? No problem!” I thought. Let me tell you, that five minute comment has been rattling around in my brain like a loose marble in a shoe box for months. Annoying as all get out because I have yet to be successful at having a focused five minute prayer in that time. Ironic, isn’t it? Another loving message from Hashem, I’d say.

You see, there are other marbles in that shoe box of mine. Remembering to pray for my husband, the rest of my family members, my extended family, Israel, my Rav, all my needs and desires, for emuna, for everything I’m grateful for. As your list is I’m sure, my list is long… I thought about starting a prayer journal to dump these marbles into but, unlike most attempts at writing this time it didn’t work for me.

All these beautiful, important, wonderful people and events that I really want to talk with my Creator about don’t always – who am I kidding – hardly ever receive the amount of prayer I should be investing in them. Unless, Heaven forbid, there is a crisis. This has been on my mind a lot lately. This concept is what came to me when I began reading the article on my Rabbi in a search for what I should pray for.

I realized that I just needed to pray. I shouldn’t need a crisis to prompt me.

It is oh so easy to become routine, even with personal prayer. “Thank you for this, this, and this. Please help me with this, this, and this.” I struggle with this, especially when life is busy… which is exactly when I should be even more invested in my personal prayer time.

When was the last time I prayed specifically for my Rav? For my husband? For my son? For any of the beloved people in my life? Have I really been searching and seeking to connect to Hashem during my prayers or is it a to-do list item to check mark when completed each day? Am I really believing that my prayers have the ability to change the world? Am I truly aware that my prayers have the ability to uplift my loved ones?

These thoughts have been bouncing around for a few weeks and, I hate to admit it, but I’ve been ignoring them. Seeing my Rabbi pictured in a hospital bed was a huge wake-up call to start paying attention to these questions – to stop letting the “easy” things slide for later – to pray. Just pray.

I’m not sure how to get all the praying in…. I need to pray about that too. But there is something I know deep down inside me now:

The important thing is that we desire to pray. That we desire to connect with our beloved Heavenly Father and share everything with Him – including all the wonderful people in our lives – asking for His guidance with every aspect of our days. 

To paraphrase Dory:  Just keep praying. Just keep praying.

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Jennifer invites you to participate in a regularly held Noahide on-line study group that reviews the garden series books of Rabbi Arush. You can contact her at jenniferjwoodward@gmail.com to be added to the weekly newsletter for dates and times. Visit the blog at noahidenews.blogspot.com.