Today in church the sermon was on prayer and "locks" (sin, self-exaltation, doubt, religiosity, ingratitude) that keep our prayers from being effective and "keys" (repentance, humility, faith and dependence, gratefulness) that unlock our hearts so we can pray effectively. This is a very basic overview of a much-discussed topic. Scripture has a lot to say about prayer (Jeremiah 33:3, Matthew 6:5-13, 7:7; James 1:5, Philippians 4:6, and numerous Psalms, to name a few selections) and I won't attempt to write my own cohesive commentary on the topic. However, another encounter during my transition back into La Paz life after vacation reminded me of why we can be encouraged by prayer.
I was with another foreigner who eagerly practices his Spanish with Bolivians he meets. The mistakes he makes don't bother him - he laughs, asks to be corrected, and works to improve. It's a great way to learn language; I'm not nearly as bold in my attempts, so my learning has been slow. I hate making mistakes and not being able to communicate what I mean. Looking vaguely Latina doesn't help my case because most people assume that I speak Spanish. But my friend stands in stark contast as a very foreign-looking man who is very bold in speaking what Spanish he knows in an earnest effort to learn more.
So the other day, my friend was leaving his apartment when he greeted the portero (doorman...or woman, in this case...so person?). The portero's children, who looked like they were maybe 2 and 4, were running about and stopped to say hello. My friend enthusiastically greeted the girls and squatted down to be on their level.
"Quince!" He beckoned, holding up his hand for a high-five.
"That means 15!" giggled my friend's daughter.
"Ha! Quince? Give me fifteen? What about cinco?"
We laughed at his gaff (a common one that I've made many times myself), but the best part about this exchange was the little girl from whom he had first asked for "fifteen." She had approached him with a smile and held up her hand as soon as his was offered. It didn't matter that he mangled his words - she perfectly understood what he wanted. More than that, she responded with exactly what was appropriate for that situation.
Romans 8:26 talks about the Holy Spirit interceding for us when we pray. I'm heartened that when we don't know how to pray or we mangle what we say to God, the Holy Spirit straightens out our communication for us. He speaks into our hearts and helps align them to God's will so what we ask is pleasing to Him. The Holy Spirit does a lot alongside us and for us, but this is one of my favorite truths in Scripture about his role. It's so reassuring to know that when I ask God for quince, He has already come to me with a smile to give me five.
This is the view from my friends' apartment. The lighting from the setting sun is inspiring. It literally is what inspired me to blog for the first time in months.
So be inspired to pray. Maybe be bold and ask a friend to intercede alongside you. Feel free to shoot me a message or comment and I'm happy to pray with you.
Love y la paz,
Sam
