Shower Prayers and Jacuzzi Prayers

There’s something very special about early morning prayer. It’s a time of quietness and self-reflection.

On work days, I normally get up by 5 a.m. so I can read my Bible as I drink my coffee. By 5:45 a.m. I’m usually praying and then start getting dressed by 6:30 a.m., so I can be out the door by 7 a.m. This morning routine grounds my day and helps me to cope with whatever awaits me. But it’s alot like taking a shower: It’s brief, but thorough, and it gets the job done.

But on days like today – a day when I’m off work (little happy dance here) I have the luxury of soaking in God’s presence like some people soak in a Jacuzzi:

I linger.

I relax.

I lose all track of time.

I embrace the whole experience.

When I’m done, I feel as if I’ve been treated to the deepest of indulgences. My soul is refreshed, my spirit feels like a feather, and all seems right with the world.

But as much as I enjoy Jacuzzi Prayers, I often settle for Shower Prayers because life’s pressures pile up, and there never seem to be enough hours in the day.

The Apostle Paul knew about Shower Prayers because he instructed the Thessalonian church to “Pray without ceasing”. This is not a feasible instruction unless one puts it in the context of maintaining a prayerful attitude while going about one’s work etc.

And Jesus himself exampled Jacuzzi Prayers because Mark 1:35 records:

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.”

So we can conclude from these passages that both types of prayers are Biblical and therefore accepted by God. We can also conclude from these passages and others like them that different needs call for different types prayers. For example, the Jacuzzi Prayer that Jesus prayed in the book of Mark was leading up to the greatest test of his life – the Crucifixion. In other words, desperate times called for desperate measures.

But sometimes, Jacuzzi Prayers are enjoyed just because you love the Lord and want to bask in His presence. Such was the case with me today. And the good news is that no matter what else unfolds for me this weekend, I will enjoy it more and be able to handle it better because my entire being was deeply refreshed by the living God because I lingered in His presence.