Trading Prayer Lists for Presence

My mom has always kept a prayer list on her fridge.  I know a lot of "prayer warriors" who daily present people's requests to God.  But I don't.  

I'm grateful for the "prayer list praying people." I know I can contact them to add my request knowing they will routinely lift each name and situation to God.  I'm just not one of those people.  That kind of praying is too heavy for my shoulders.  

I read nothing of Jesus or the apostle Paul keeping running prayer lists.  Although I think we'd agree that Jesus was truly present with whoever was in his presence and Paul offered prayers whenever someone came to his mind.  I just don't think the latter's "pray without ceasing" was about cycling endlessly through a list.

After wading through the guilt of not wanting to and not being able to pray like others, I finally discovered a way of intercession (praying for or on behalf of someone) that better fits me. And my shoulders recognize it as the light kind of burden Jesus spoke of.  Intercessory prayer takes different forms. Rather than prayer lists, for me it's "presence" and here's what it looks like:
   
Presence when with a person.  When I sit with you as a spiritual director, I ask the Spirit of God to reveal, direct, and guide you.  As you talk, I listen to the holy invitations in your life.  I enter into silence on your behalf willing to listen and receive whatever is offered.  In short, I give you my full attention.  My hope is the same when listening to a friend in casual conversation.  And if you're family, well, I continue to work on it...sometimes I'm more present than others!    

Presence when a person is brought to mind. Over the years I've found that when someone is brought to my mind, I later discover it's at the precise moment when prayer was needed. A conversation has come up at a later time or I've felt nudged to go beyond prayer and contact the person. Even when we haven't been in touch for years and I have no idea of their need, contacting them has always revealed something was indeed going on that needed prayer!  So know, if your name or face crosses my mind or you show up in a nighttime dream, I take it as an invitation to intercessory prayer.  

Presence with requests for prayer.  If you ask or email me to pray for you (and please do!), I'll pray right then or soon after...maybe with you, usually silently or actually emailing you my prayer.  Then I'll let it go, placing you and your request in God's hands and trusting that if I'm to pray for you again, the Spirit will bring you to my mind.  If I only pray for you that one time, I cannot think of better hands (or shoulders) to entrust your burden to (much stronger and gentler than my own)!  

As 14th century saint Hildegard of Bingen once said,  "God hugs you.  You are encircled by the arms of the mystery of God."  And on your behalf and for you, I believe this to be true, whether I pray for you once or one hundred times. 
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• What are prayer lists like for you?  
• How does the Spirit of God invite you to pray for others?

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