Talking to nobody

My husband is an amateur radio operator. The sound of voices or Morse code coming from his radios is often and easily heard throughout our small home. A while back, he came out of his “Ham” room to tell me, “This guy’s still talking. I’m timing him. It’s been 12 minutes. I wonder if he’s talking to nobody.” Well, obviously, my husband had been sort of listening, but also it was apparent that no one could get a word into the “conversation.” Certainly, it didn’t seem to be that this man was carrying on a dialogue. It really was entirely possible that those who had been chatting with him had literally tuned out his monologue.

 

Has that ever happened to you? Someone monopolizes the conversation and the others tune out?

 

What about when gathered to pray with others? Has one person prayed on and on and on putting all their thoughts into words until you are no longer “in the room” but off thinking about, for example, whether or not you remembered to put the flag up on the mailbox?

 

One thing Moms in Prayer has taught me and thousands of other women is the ability to pray short simple prayers so we can pray conversationally with others. It’s that acronym, KISS—keep it short and simple. This allows for real conversation and passion in prayer on one subject at a time and allows, more importantly, for the Holy Spirit to be a part of our conversation. He who indwells believers desires the opportunity to prompt us to speak His thoughts into the subject of our prayers, which He often does through our different voices.

 

But we are seldom discipled in this type of prayer. Most often, we do like the man on the radio, say all we can say till someone jumps in when we take a breath. We’ve not learned how to bathe one subject at a time together passionately with the Lord in prayer.

 

Again, notice I said “together” and “with.” By keeping our prayers simple and short, we pray not only together but with the Holy Spirit. This is praying in one accord, which is “agreeing together as directed and energized by the Holy Spirit.” (Moms in Prayer International Booklet)

 

One accord in Hebrew, yachad, reveals oneness of striving together, not going alone. It carries the same meaning in the Greek word homothymadon. It’s being of one mind, with one accord, or with one passion. Interestingly, Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon in defining yachad refers to Job 38:7, “When all the morning stars sang together.” Can’t you just imagine the beauty and passion behind those words?

 

This is the powerful and passionate way of prayer exemplified by the early church. This is what Acts 4:24 (NASB) speaks to:

 

…they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them…

 

It also reminds me of the Beveres’ words in “Girls with Swords.” In 1 Samuel 14:6-7, when Jonathan and his armorbearer boldly take on the enemy, the armorbearer tells Jonathon, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart” (NKJ). The Beveres wrote:

 

Suddenly there is light in their eyes and vigor in their stance. Something powerful happens when two warriors agree and boldly declare God’s faithfulness and their commitment to a cause.”

 

This is the same amazing thing that happens when we moms come together to passionately pray—talk together—in one accord on a particular subject matter, like a child, before the Throne. Something powerful happens!