Monologue or Dialogue?

There was a member in one of the churches I pastored who regularly called my wife for some Christian ‘fellowship’ each Monday morning. Following this she often would phone my office, expressing just how much she enjoyed conversing with Sue. But this was really not the case. In reality the only word poor Sue could contribute was the word ‘hello’ as she answered the phone. Then, for the next ten or fifteen minutes the caller would go non-stop and abruptly conclude, saying how great it was to talk with her again. But sadly the ‘visit’ was over 99% monologue and less than 1% dialogue!

So it is, all too often regarding our prayer life. Effective prayer may be best defined as ‘having fellowship with God.’ It is more than simply talking to God, but rather talking with God. It implies a two-way give-and-take.

All too often this simple, basic, bottom-line definition is either misunderstood or simply ignored.

Simply stated:
• I talk to Him through my words.
• He talks to me through His Word.