Quiet little prayers

I am blessed to work in a place where I am surrounded by fellow believers. Weekly we have a chapel meeting where we hear updates on what our organization is doing in other countries.
Today we hard about North and South Korea. Our speaker told us about the different ways that they are taught and basically brainwashed.
One thing that we always as them is HOW can we pray for YOU? This is how they responded:
We pray for you! Westerners are so full of money and things that they truly don't know how to worship. How true is that. We don't know anything about going with out.
This idea blows me away!! But, it is so true. Us "westerners" don't have a good grasp of what it is to be 'with out" anything. Everything we have ever needed or wanted is at our finger tips. However, in the Bible it says that TRUE believers will be persecuted against. So Koreans see this as a natural way of life. If they choose to follow Jesus, then they chose to do without. However, Americans have a comfortable relationship with Jesus. We will NOT do with out. Just look at our churches today... many of them have nice cushy seats, some serve coffee and some even serve donuts and other breakfast treats in the  mornings. The lights are turned down low during worship time so that we can "focus" or "not be noticed" as we worship. Everyone wears their "Sunday best" and often leaves church to go indulge in a meal that could normally feed 2 or 3 adults.
Shame on us for thinking that this is what we deserve. We do NOT deserve anything... Christ gave up His LIFE for us. We deserve nothing but death.

The second point that was made was the way we pray. Koreans are blown away that we pray so quietly. When they pray they SHOT to the Lord. They begin their prayers by throwing their arms up in the air and shouting "LORD! LORD! LORD!" then they speak their prayers out loud with out humiliation, with out being self conscious, with out shame. I pray all day long. They are simple and in my head; usually sounding like "Jesus give me patience" "Jesus help me understand!" "Jesus help me figure this out!!" And occasionally it may sound something like this "Thank you Jesus for ..." but honestly that is rarer than the cries for help!
I have no doubt that God hears these prayers. There have been often times I have been granted understanding, patience, and peace... but in my heart I wonder how much more peace I would feel should I shout my prayers and praises to the heavens.
In chapel this morning we did just that!! We started by SHOUTING "Yo Choy! Yo Choy! Yo Choy!" which is Korean for "Lord!" then we spoke our prayers out loud. I will admit I was afraid to do this. Even in the safety of our small chapel group, however I stood there surrounded by others who were worshiping and crying out their prayers to our Lord. It was amazing. The room was filled with the Holy Spirit!

I'm not saying silent prayers are not ok, I'm not saying every prayer needs to be shouted. I'm just saying that we Americans take for granted the freedoms we have.

Ok that is my rant and rave for now... Hopefully after Christmas I'll have happy wonderful things to report back on.

Merry Christmas to you all!!