When we returned from Newfoundland last week we took an Uber to the home of a friend where our vehicle was parked. The driver of the immaculately clean Uber was silent for the first part of the trip, until I commented on the prayer beads hanging from the rear-view mirror (not the ones in the photo above). He thoughtfully explained the Muslim practice of pausing five times a day for prayer and the division of the one hundred beads into groups of 33.
He conceded that the requests for rides are non-stop once he begins his day but he attempts to find a spot to pull over for prayer at the appropriate times. We had an exchange about the use of beads as a prayer aid in other religions, including the Roman Catholic rosary. I have long been impressed by the commitment of Muslims to be observant in prayer in a way that Christians would do well to emulate.
Along the way I've led study groups on the subject of prayer and would sometimes invite Ruth, my wife, to explain the prayer beads she created which are personalized with pieces to represent different members of our family. She used them as a tangible form of prayer at a time when the weariness of family activity could be overwhelming by the end of the day. And when they became free-range teens the beads were a comfort in the wee hours.
I appreciated the gentle witness of our driver and its always helpful to have the reminders that pray matters, regardless of creed.
Often, I feel I need a reminder to stop and pray... maybe I should make a string of prayer beads, too !
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ReplyDeleteHe must have appreciated such sincere interest from a passenger.-K
Anything to help us focus on prayer in an age of distraction, Judy. I was glad that I asked, Kathy, even though I sat there wondering how to begin the conversation in a respectful way.
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