Three Prayers

“May you experience God’s favor and rest in the peace that comes from the One who is, the One who was, and the One who is coming; from the seven Spirits, the Perfect Spirit, constantly before God’s throne; and from Jesus the Anointed, the Witness who is true and faithful.” (Revelation 1:4-5 VOICE)

Growing up Catholic, I was taught to recite memorized prayers. In group and private settings, I found comfort in the familiar words of the Lord’s prayer and the Hail Mary. When I started hanging out with more Protestants, I became more spontaneous with my prayers. I learned to be conversational with God--asking for specific needs and reminding God of His promises with scripture references. When praying out loud in the presence of others, I felt the need to speak in complete sentences that made sense to all who were listening. Whether memorized or spontaneous, my prayers had some things in common: there were a lot of words and details. I already knew what I wanted; I just needed God’s help in executing my plans. 

These days, I pray privately. Just me and God--one on One. My praying has changed. There are fewer words, fewer details, fewer memorized passages, less reminders to God. I have three favorite prayers, three single words that match my breath: Yahweh, Yeshua, Ruah.

These three words encapsulate everything.

Yahweh--the One who was, the One who is, and the One who is coming.

Yeshua--Jesus the Anointed, the Witness who is true and faithful. 

Ruah--the Holy Spirit, the essence of all the attributes and characteristics of God.

God does not need me to explain all the details and come up with my own solutions. I have learned to speak less and listen more. The three prayers are meant to remind me of truths: Yahweh is in charge. Yeshua is trustworthy. Ruah permeates everything. All I have to do is just breathe and remain aware.

Yahweh. Yeshua. Ruah.