Wednesday, May 5

All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer.
—Acts 1:14a

While prayer is often thought to be an individual activity born of private and internal difficulty, need, or sorrow, we don’t ever really come before God alone. Much of our prayer will be in the silence of our own heart, but even there, the whole human family is present. 

What flows from our heart when we are in need may be our own private words, yet these words are part of the endless flow of words that are, or have been, cast toward heaven throughout time.

One way to expand private prayer is with community prayer—that is, the prayer of people approaching God together, praying in accord and in agreement. The prayer of community is the prayer of many voices combining to make a single voice.

There are always times when we are tempted to turn away from community—especially organized church communities—because they lack the perfection we silently want them to exhibit.

However, if we are willing to enter into the imperfect community, we can be struck with awe when that community’s prayer enfolds our own and carries our collective voice into heaven.

O God, hear the voice of your people when we call to you.

These Signposts originally appeared on explorefaith in 2004.