Indirectly related to Jimbeaux's thread on Shadowboxing-didn't want to steal a thread

[NewSong]

On the National Day of Prayer, I had totally forgotten the courthouse steps and all the designated places people were going to meet for prayer. I have never attended one yet and probably never will. I tend to pray best at home or where a few of us meet and we don't have to worry about offending someone with the way we really pray.

However, on that day, I had someone in my vehicle and we were driving through a larger town than where I am from. There was a memorial park and there were many gathered in this park. The response out of the other person is "what on earth are they praying to the statues for?" That is what it looked like...didn't think about National Day of Prayer...We went on down the road and on the square of the social service building had people circled around a large boulder where there was a flag pole nearby and were all together...the person remarked "why are these people all acting like these stones are holy?" About that time it dawned on me that it was the National Day of Prayer and I remarked to the person riding with me that it was designated as the national day of prayer...and the person responded to me with...we are allowed one day a year to pray? NO, NO, NO! It is an everyday thing and is not a one day a year prayer. Whether or not it is shadowboxing I do not know because I don't get involved because for me I know it would be only to cooperate with those asking and it definitely changes my prayer style and even my agreement in prayer when others pray. To me it always seemed like this was breeding ground but I am not sure whether it is for good or bad since I have never taken time to go. Certainly it does send a message of "it's a once a year prayer." (NOT)

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I suppose some could see it that way, yet almost every group has one day a year that they celebrate whatever it is they are celebrating. Of course that is not the only day they partake in their activity, it's just the one day they take to make it known in a big and public way.

 

[NewSong]

Yes I suppose they could see it that way too, especially if I take the spiritual persepective and leave behind the christianese. Because they did see it that way and that is the end of the story but I reckon what I had to say was that it is an ongoing event even traditions have their place but prayer should not be a tradition like celebrating Christmas once a year but we know we celebrate Jesus birth and resurrection ongoing for those of us who don't wait for the holiday! Ya know????

 

[nephilimiyr]

Hi NewSong! I've never been to a prayer gathering on National Prayer day but the way I have always understood it is that it's supposed to be a day where people of all churches and denominations, even different religions, throughout the nation are supposed to put aside their difference's and prejudices and come together to prayer for the country, the president, and the rest of our leaders. It's not that it's the only day that we are to pray for our country but the one day a year that we come together to do so. The idea of the national day of prayer wasn't meant to be just a christian thing either, it's for all faiths and religions.

 

[Svt4Him]

I wonder if you would have had any spiritual conversation without seeing those, and if it could have been a springboard for sharing a bit of truth. If so, then I'd say it's a pretty good day.