From “Prayer: Finding the heart's true home” by Richard J Foster (1992)*
Introduction
My service to the church and the larger community involves going on short-term mission trips once a year with my church. I have been on six trips in the past five years, including two trips for Katrina service, two trips to El Salvador, Mexico, and France. On all these service trips, we have a time for daily devotionals.
During my most recent trip, I was honored to be selected to lead the daily devotional for the week long trip to El Salvador. I wanted to lead a devotional that was more than filling-in the blanks, would not be boring, would last 10-15 minutes, would generate interesting discussion, and would give the team members something to think about during the rest of the day.
Besides service, my life is one of prayer. I have an interest in encouraging others in their prayer life, so it seemed that the theme of prayer would be an appropriate topic for the daily devotional. I considered the possibility of introducing a new form of prayer each day (for example, intercession, meditation, healing). I had in mind the book that I recently read by Richard Foster entitled "Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home", where he beautifully describes twenty-one different forms of prayer. I started writing the first daily devotional on a prayer that is familiar to many short-term missionaries: relinquishment. Foster writes that relinquishment is a "daily crucifixion" that "means freedom to care for others, to genuinely put their needs first, to give joyfully and freely." I used this sentiment and continued to write six more chapters using the Foster book. I led the devotionals every morning during our week of service in El Salvador and all were well received.
Someone suggested that I publish the devotionals for the use of other missionary teams, and that is when I contacted the office of Richard Foster about the possibility of posting the devotionals on a website. He suggested that I write devotionals for all twenty one chapters, which I did over the next six months as time allowed and the Spirit moved.
My hope is that you will use these devotionals not only during your mission trip, but at home with your family, at church with other members of your congregation, or in your small group with friends. You don't have to use these devotionals in the order that they appear in this publishing. Choose the prayer topics that are most appropriate for your group. God bless you in your experience of prayer and service to God, for his glory.
Barbara Williams
Seattle, WA
February 2009
Why have a daily devotional on prayer?
As missionaries, we have full days. The day is so full of service that sometimes our daily rituals of prayer and worship are ignored. By having a daily devotional based on prayer, we ensure our daily dialogue with God. We can increase our understanding of what God is doing in our midst, so that we can be more intentional in our service.
Jeremy Smith writes in the Reformation 21 blog (www.reformation21.org):
"prayer is informed by our understanding of who God is, and the more we know God, the more conversant we are about God, the more our prayers reflect God's character, the more biblical our praying will be, the more God-honoring our prayer will be, and the more our prayers will be like the prayers God would have us pray."
As we encounter new land, new people, and new experiences as short-term missionaries, we need to pray as God would have us pray. The model prayer that Jesus taught his disciples (Matthew 6:9-13) is a good guideline for our prayers. But it is not only what we pray (give us our daily bread, forgive us our sins) that is important, but also how we pray. This manuscript illustrates twenty one ways of how to pray.
Each of these daily devotionals should take between 10 and 15 minutes, and can be completed in any order. Richard Foster's book on prayer is not required for these devotionals; however, I recommend that the leader read his book for greater understanding of the various topics. If Bible verses or passages are listed, ask for volunteers to read them. The format and content (for example: Bible verse, practice, prayer) of individual lessons are varied to give flexibility and to break-up the routine of daily devotionals.
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen". Ephesians 3:20-21.
Acknowledgements
Written with gratitude to my friends at Mount Baker Park Presbyterian Church and University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Washington, who have given me encouragement in my missionary service and have supported me in the writing of these devotionals.
Chapter 1: Simple Prayer
Introduction
We start this series of devotionals with the basics of prayer. We all come to prayer with a tangled mass of motives: good and selfish, merciful and hateful, loving and bitter. But God is big enough to receive us with all our faults. We do not have to be bright, or pure, or filled with faith. God receives us just as we are and accepts our prayers just as they are. We bring ourselves before God just as we are. Like children before a loving father, we open our hearts and make our requests. This is Simple Prayer.
Bible
Read Matthew 18:1-4. Become like children.
Read Mark 10:13-16. The kingdom of God belongs to children.
Our lives
We are the focus of simple prayer. Our needs, our wants, our concerns dominate our prayer experience. Our prayers may have plenty of pride, conceit, vanity, pretentiousness, haughtiness, and self-centeredness. We make mistakes--we sin, we fall down. But we confess and begin again and again and again. We seek to follow God.
Discussion
Discuss for a few minutes what keeps us from simple prayer:
Consider the desire to be more "sophisticated" or "mature" in our prayers, wanting to avoid "self-centered" prayer, looking toward the future for a better time, lack of belief that God would enter into our space.
Examples
We begin right where we are: in our families, with our friends and villagers. The most natural and simple way to pray is through our experiences, by taking up the events of the day and giving them to God. We tell God, for example, our weariness due to lack of sleep, our frustration with the language barrier, or our fear of getting sick.
In the Bible, "Moses said to the Lord, 'Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all these people on me?'" (Numbers 11:11) and Jeremiah cried "OÿLord, you have enticed me,ÿand I was enticed;
you have overpowered me, and you have prevailed." (Jeremiah 20:7) C.S. Lewis counsels us to "lay before Him what is in us, not what ought to be in us."
Practice
During the day, be aware of God's presence, since prayer is an ongoing relationship with God. Do not be discouraged by your lack of prayer. Talk to God about your lack of prayer. Pray at all times-- when you are angry, or prideful, or greedy. Talk to God about what is going on inside of you. Sin separates us from God, but hiding our sin separates us even more. In the beginning, we are the center of simple prayer, but with practice we pass from thinking of God as part of our life, to the realization that we are a part of his life.
Chapter 2: Prayer of the Forsaken
Bible
Read Matthew 27:41-50 with attention to 27:46b "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
On being forsaken
Sooner or later, we will all know what it feels like to be forsaken by God. Have you ever tried to pray and felt nothing, saw nothing, sensed nothing? Sometimes it seems like God is hidden from us. Of course, God is not absent from us, but we have a sense of his absence. God is always with us.
As short-term missionaries, we may feel alone--in a new village, in a new country, with new people. We may feel distant from our friends, spouse and God. We question. We doubt. We struggle. Our prayers may seem empty and our fellowship lacking.
Reflection
In these times of abandonment, we are comforted to know that:
1. Times of abandonment were experienced by the saints who came before us. Moses lived in exile, waiting year after silent year for God to deliver his people. Jeremiah was lowered down into a dungeon well until he "sank in the mire." Mary waited alone at Golgotha following the death of Jesus. 2. Times of abandonment are not predictable and come at various times in our faith journey. They are not punishment for something we did or did not do. 3. God is free and comes and goes as he wills. He is not a puppet on a string to be manipulated by us. 4. The silence of God can be purifying; we are stripped of our dependence on external things (like the liturgy, sacraments, devotionals). We learn that we are not in control. We are also stripped of our interior things. We become less and less sure of the working of the Holy Spirit. We become unsure of ourselves.
Our response
1. Pray a psalm of complaint, for example, Psalm 42 "Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God, Why did you let me down? Why am I walking around in tears, harassed by enemies?" or Psalm 88 "I'm standing my ground, God, shouting for help, at my prayers every morning, on my knees each daybreak. Why, God, do you turn a deaf ear? Why do you make yourself scarce?"
2. Keep on doing what you know how to do-- pray, listen, worship, serve. What we do in God's presence, we also do in his absence.
3. Wait on God. Be still. Be silent. Be attentive. Be responsive. Trust in the character of God. The wilderness experience is not permanent. In God's time, the desert will give way to a land flowing with milk and honey.
Silent Prayer
If you feel abandoned, pray silently something like, "God, I feel alone. I do not understand what you are doing or where you are, but I know that you are good. I am tired of waiting, but I will continue to wait because I have no where else to go."
If you are not at a place of abandonment, pray silently something like, "God, thank you for times of abandonment. Thank you for times of barrenness of soul, when you take away my distractions and produce in me detachment, humility, and patience."
Chapter 3: Prayer of the Examen
Bible
Ps 139:1 "Yahweh, you examine me and know me."
1 Chron 28:9 "The Lord searches every mind, and understands every plan and thought."
1 Cor 2:10 "the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God."
What is the examen?
In the examen of consciousness we prayerfully reflect on the thoughts, feelings, and actions of our days to see how God has been at work among us and how we responded. We consider, for example, whether the crowing rooster of last night was more than just a rude interruption of a quiet evening. Maybe he was the voice of God urging us to be attentive to the nature and creation around us. Perhaps in the glorious sunrise of this morning God was shouting out to us his love of beauty and inviting us to share in it, but we were too sleepy or distracted to participate.
The examen of consciousness is the means God uses to make us more aware of our surroundings. God wants us to be present where we are. He invites us to see and to hear what is around us and, through it all, to discern the action of the Holy. The examen of consciousness is one way to listen to the call and rehearse the mighty deeds of God.
In the examen of conscience we are inviting the Lord to search our hearts to the depths. Far from being dreadful, this is a scrutiny of love. Without apology and without defense, we ask to see what is truly in us. We ask these things for our good, for our healing, for our happiness. He will show us what we need to see when we need to see it.
Practice
Read Psalm 139: 1-17.
During the next five minutes, we will walk through the five steps of the Examen:
1. Remind yourself of God's presence. Be still and know that you are with God and that he desires to be with you.
2. Look at your day with gratitude. After a few moments, begin to give thanks to God for the events of today. Special pleasures will spring to mind. As you move in gratitude through the details of your day give thanks to God for his presence in the big and the small things of your life.
3. Ask help from the Holy Spirit. Before the next step of reviewing your day, ask that God's Spirit might help you to look at your actions and attitudes. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to understand the motivation of your heart, to see the gifts of God and how you've responded to them. Remember, this is not a time to dwell on your shortcomings; rather, it is a gentle look with the Lord at how you have responded to God's gifts.
4. Review your day. Watch your day like a movie that replays in your mind. Be sure to notice the details, the context of what happened and how you acted, and your motives and feelings. Examine how you have been aware of God's presence and actions in your life.
You may wish to ask yourself some of the following questions:
When did I fail? When did I give love? Where did I receive love? What habits and life patterns do I notice? In what ways did I notice God? When did I feel most alive? Most drained of life? When did I have the greatest sense of belonging? Least sense of belonging? When did I feel most fully myself? Least myself? As you review your day allow your thoughts to wander through the situations you've been in and allow God to speak, challenge, encourage and teach you.
5. Reconcile and resolve. The final step is to talk with Jesus about your day. Share your thoughts on your actions, attitudes, feelings, and interactions. Perhaps in this time you may feel led to seek forgiveness, ask for direction, share a concern, express gratitude, etc.
Chapter 4: Prayer of Tears
What is the prayer of tears?
It is being "pierced to the heart" (Acts 2:37) over our distance or separation from God. It is weeping over our sins and the sins of the world. Tears are a sign that God has touched the center of our emotions.
Personal example
I went on a prayer retreat where we were given an opportunity to tell our stories of faith (or lack of faith!). As one woman talked about the fears in her life, in my mind I was praying for her. As I prayed, tears came to my eyes. This was a prayer of tears. I was sensing her separation from God and her fears. My soul was feeling the love of God for her.
Read examples from the Bible
The men and women of the Bible were familiar with the prayer of tears.
Job declares "My eye pours out tears to God." (Job 16:20)
The author of Lamentations moaned "O that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night for the slain of my poor people!" (Lamentations 2:18)
David laments "I am weary with my moaning, every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping." (Psalm 6:6)
Paul came to Asia "serving the Lord with all humility and with tears." (Acts 20:19)
And in his beatitude, Jesus says, "Blessed are you who weep." (Luke 6:21)
Reflection
We cannot cause ourselves to weep outwardly. It is not something we can cause to come about by creating a certain kind of mood with a certain kind of atmosphere and a certain kind of music. Tears are a gift that God wants to give to all who ask.
We will spend some time in silent prayer in the following areas:
1. Ask God for a broken, weeping, repentant heart. "Lord," we may pray, "let me receive the gift of tears." Throughout the week, keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.
2. Confess your lack of faith, your distance from God and your hardheartedness. Tears come with repentance.
3. Receive God's forgiveness. Like the father of the prodigal, he rushes to us at the first sign of our turning toward home. He lavishes us with good gifts that we do not deserve. 4. Hear God's call to obedience. As you repent, listen to God and how he would move you to action; experience the joy of obedience.
Pray together
Gracious Jesus, it is easier for us to approach you with our minds than with our tears. We sometimes do not know how to pray from the emotive center of our lives. Still, we come to you just as we are. Forgive all our offenses against you and our brothers and sisters. We repent of our insensitive ways. Break our stony hearts with the things that break your heart. Help us to weep over our sins and the sins of others. In Jesus' name we pray.
Chapter 5: Prayer of Relinquishment
Background
As we are learning to pray we discover an interesting progression. In the beginning, our will is in struggle with God's will. We beg. We pout. We demand. We expect God to perform like a magician or shower us with blessings like Santa. As we grow in our faith, however, we begin to enter into a grace-filled releasing of our will and a flowing into the will of the Father. This is the Prayer of Relinquishment.
Bible verse
Read Luke 22:39-46. We learn the Prayer of Relinquishment in the Garden of Gethsemane. "Let this cup pass." The final relinquishment: "Not my will but yours be done." Here we have the complete laying down of human will. At Gethsemane, we learn to distrust whatever is of our own mind because Jesus shows us a more excellent way: the way of helplessness. The way of abandonment. "Your will be done" is Jesus' consuming concern.
Process
This is not an easy process. Relinquishment requires a struggle. Jesus' prayer was a struggle, complete with bloody sweat. Relinquishment is no easy task. The result of relinquishment is peace and freedom. Freedom from the burden of always having to get our own way. It means freedom to care for others, to put their needs first, to give joyfully and freely.
Practice
Using the gospel we will go with Jesus into the Garden. As I read the story again, stay awake and watch. See his sorrowful soul. Let your heart be saddened too. Struggle with him in seeking other options, hoping to avoid the cup. Invite Jesus to interpret the words into your life, your family, your work. Allow the Lord to specify what needs to be laid at his feet.
Practice
During the day, practice relinquishment.
Frustration: Lord, I relinquish it to you.
Anger: Lord, I relinquish it to you.
Judgment: Lord, I relinquish it to you.
Self-sufficiency: Lord, I relinquish it to you.
Remember.
Let us pray: O Lord, how do I let go when I'm so unsure of things? I'm unsure of your will, and I'm unsure of myself. I hate the idea of letting go. I really want to be in control. No, I need to be in control. I'm afraid to give up control, afraid of what might happen. Heal my fear, Lord. How good of you to reveal my blind spots even in the midst of my stumbling attempts to pray. Thank you! How do I give up control? Jesus, please, teach me your way of relinquishment. Amen.
Chapter 6: Formation Prayer
What is formation prayer?
Prayer changes us. Formation prayer changes us, or transforms us, by bringing us into a life of communion with the Father that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are increasingly conformed to the image of Jesus. God is more than a provider. He is a teacher who invites us to change, to progress, and to grow spiritually.
Two ways to be changed
There are both active and passive ways of formation prayer:
1. Active. We pursue God. We seek God. We work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We exercise godliness; we press toward the goal. We are on a journey of faith.
2. Passive. We are pursued by God. We are attentive and responsive. We are clay in the hands of the potter. God desires to mold us more and more into the image of Christ.
Bible Verse
Read Jeremiah 18:1-4.
Ways of active prayer
Think of this as a giving, or initiating prayer. Following the example of St. Th‚rŠse of Lisieux, who created a prayer-filled approach to life: seek out a lowly job, welcome unjust criticisms, befriend those who annoy us, help those who are ungrateful. We may think these tiny, trivial activities are hardly worth mentioning, but that is their value. They are unrecognized conquests over selfishness.
Ways of passive prayer
Think of this as a receiving, or yielding prayer. Solitude is the foundation of this prayer. To enter solitude, we must disregard what others think of us. There is freedom in our hearts when we let go of the opinions of others. We listen less to human voices and are more able to hear the Divine Voice. The less we are manipulated by the expectations of others, the more we are open to the expectations of God.
Practice
Today in your service to the community, practice active prayer: smile to those who irritate you, listen attentively to boring conversations, express a little kindness without making a fuss, overcome selfishness, volunteer for a menial job.
Practice passive prayer: Discipline yourself to make time and a place to be alone. Solitude is a way to recharge our batteries in order to enter life's busy work. However, solitude also gives us the ability to ignore the busyness in our lives. Slowly, you will find yourself letting go of your compulsions, and be free from your bondage to people and your own inner busyness. Resolve, now, to pull yourself away from the busyness of service to the community during the day today.
Chapter 7: Covenant Prayer
What is covenant prayer?
Covenant prayer is the profound heart call to a God-intoxicated life. It leads us to a personal decision. We make a personal commitment and promise holy obedience.
Bible verse
Read Psalm 57:7-11. "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed."
Why do we fear commitment?
Take a few minutes to discuss why we draw back from the language of commitment.
Two additional reasons:
Commitment means responsibility and responsibility sounds confining. But we gain freedom in anything through commitment, discipline, and fixed habit. For example, Handel could compose beautiful music because he schooled himself in musical composition. Flannery O'Connor was able to rise above his disease to become one of the finest fiction writers of the twentieth century.
We fear that we will not be able to fulfill our commitment. We may have made commitments or promises in the past that we were not able to fulfill. As a result, we feel condemned in our hearts over these broken covenants.
God's grace and mercy:
Remember that even the apostle Peter made promises that were too much for him to keep. See John 13:36-38. Remember that God knows the intentions of your heart. He knows our weaknesses and our frailties. God will not condemn you. In fact, he is pleased with your attempts to please him.
Types of covenant prayers
Covenant of Holy Obedience - Commit to follow the Father's faintest whisper;
Promise to obey God's voice
Covenant of Time - Commit to a regular time of daily prayer
Covenant of Place - Commit to a place for prayer
Practice
During our mission service, it can be especially difficult to enter into a fixed habit of prayer. We find it difficult to hear God's voice, or find a consistent time and place for prayer. As best as you can, promise to set aside a regular time this week for prayer, meditation, or spiritual reading. Ask God to help you with this covenant, so that you want to return to him often.
Chapter 8: Prayer of Adoration
What is adoration?
Adoration is the spontaneous yearning of the heart to worship, honor, magnify, and bless God. We ask for nothing but to love him. We seek nothing but his goodness.
There are two sides of the Prayer of Adoration: thanksgiving and praise. In thanksgiving we give glory to God for what he has done for us; in praise we give glory to God for who he is in himself. In thanksgiving, my thoughts still circle about myself to some extent. But in praise my soul ascends to seeing and praising only the majesty and power of God.
Application.
The Prayer of Adoration must be learned. It does not come automatically. We learn adoration by starting simply.
In the village, pay attention to God's creation: the little creatures that creep upon the earth. Do not try to study or analyze them. Just watch the birds and the bugs. Listen to the sounds of nature. Develop a habit of giving thanks for the simple gifts that come your way during the day. Try to live the day observing and living the day in thanksgiving.
We cannot say too much about God's goodness or love. The easiest way to begin magnifying God is to use the Psalms. In nearly every Psalm we can find a passage that will aid us in praising God. In time, the Scripture will lead us to our own words.
Practice.
1. Take some time to listen. Say the things that you are thankful for aloud.
2. The easiest way to begin magnifying God is to use the Psalms. In nearly every Psalm we can find a passage that will help us to praise the Lord. In time, we can make up our own words of adoration.
Listen to the following Bible verses which talk of praise as someone reads them.
Ps. 146:1-2. "Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long."
Ps. 34:1. "I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will continually be in my mouth."
Ps. 22:23. "You who fear the Lord, praise him!"
Ps 103:1. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name."
Remember.
God thirsts to be thirsted after. (St Augustine)
Think of Jesus healing the ten lepers. Only one returned to give thanks, and he was a Samaritan. How moved Jesus was by the one, how saddened by the nine! Think of the woman who bathed her Master's feet with the tears of gratitude. How stirred he was by her simple devotion! Think of the woman whose outlandish waste anointed Jesus' head with costly perfume. How touched he was by this lavish act of adoration! And what about us? Dare we hold back? It brings joy to the heart of God when we say, "Thank you, bless you, praise you!"
Chapter 9: Prayer of Rest
Introduction
Through the Prayer of Rest God places his children in the eye of the storm. When all around us is chaos and confusion, deep within we know stability and serenity. In the midst of intense personal struggle we are still and relaxed. While a thousand frustrations seek to distract us, we remain focused and attentive. This is the fruit of the Prayer of Rest.
Bible verse
Read Matthew 11:28-30. There is no more appealing invitation in all the Bible than Jesus' gracious words, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Nothing is more needed today than this rest of body, mind, and spirit. We live at a hectic pace. All of the grasping and grabbing, all of the controlling, all of the manipulative dynamics of life exhaust us. Today, Jesus is inviting you into his rest: Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
How do we enter the Prayer of Rest?
"God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:27) With such a divine aid, are we not able to relax our tightfisted hold on life? Are we not able to release our urgent desire to succeed in prayer? Are we not able to yield to the Divine Center? Are we not able to trust him?
Three Exercises
There are three practices to lead us into the Prayer of Rest.
1. Solitude. In solitude we voluntarily abstain from our normal patterns of activity and interaction with people for a time in order to discover that our strength and well-being comes from God alone. We loosen our grip on all our projects that seem so significant. Schedule into your day a time of solitude. Sometime during the day, retreat to your tent or room for 5 or 10 or 20 minutes to rest from activity and interaction with people.
2. Stillness. This does not mean a time for silence, but a time to refrain from controlling everyone and fixing everything. We become quiet, hushed, motionless, and centered. We let go of all distractions and enter the Kingdom of God. During the next 5 minutes, we will take a moment to relax our frantic efforts and become still before God.
3. Recollection. St. Augustine said that he had looked for God in many places and finally found God within himself; St. Teresa said that one need not go to heaven to speak to God, nor is it necessary to speak in a loud voice. Recollection is a style of meditation that locates the presence of God within yourself. This prayer is called recollection because the soul collects its faculties together and enters within itself to be with God. During the day, find a place where you can be alone and look upon him who is present within you.
Open hands
When you pray, try sitting with a posture of openness to God. Sit with your hands open or slightly cupped, as if you are holding a bird. For us, God's hands are cupped lightly around us. We have enough freedom to grow, but enough protection so that we will not be injured.
Chapter 10: Liturgical Prayer
Background
Liturgical prayers are structured prayers for the community. Liturgy is the ritual prayer of the church. When we participate in the liturgy we are aware of the doctrine of our Church- the Communion of Saints. Prayer is conversational, but sometimes it is hard to find the words to say and we can use the words of the liturgy, prayers that others have written in a prayer book.
There are five ways that liturgical prayer can help us to pray.
1. Sometimes we need to have our pump primed. Prayers from prayer books can take a slow process and push it to its full potential.
2. Liturgical prayer helps us unite with the "communion of saints." Our individual prayers are far larger than we are. We are praying with the saints. We are offering up to the throne of grace words that have been prayed by followers of Jesus for many generations.
3. Liturgical prayer helps us to resist the temptation to be spectacular and entertaining. Clever words and brilliant insights are not useful. We pray the words that have always been prayed. The focus is on the prayer.
4. Liturgical prayer helps us to focus on something bigger than ourselves. Our petty concerns are not the whole burden of our prayer. We are constantly being brought back to the life of the whole community.
5. Liturgical prayer helps us avoid the familiarity that breeds contempt. When we use usual ways of praying, we can take those prayers, and that way of praying, for granted.
Bible
Read Isaiah 53:4-6 All of us, like sheep, have gone astray.
Example
Listen to the words of the General Confession from The Book of Common Prayer:
We have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep, we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, we have offended against thy holy laws, we have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, spare thou those who are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord; and grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy Holy Name.
Our posture during prayer
The saints of the Bible and our Christian tradition used their whole body in prayer. The most frequent prayer posture in the Bible is complete prostration with hands stretched out. The second most common posture is with the hands lifted and the palms up. The posture to which we are most accustomed--the hands folded and the eyes closed--is found nowhere in Scripture. We should be free to use the posture appropriate to our prayers. Today, if you are offering prayers of confession and repentance, you may want to lie, face down, in sorrow. If you are adoring God, you might want to stand or kneel with hands slightly raised and with palms out.
Chapter 11: Unceasing Prayer
Bible verses
1 Thes 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."
Rom 12:2 "Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."
Eph 6:18 "Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication."
Col. 4:2 "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving."
Heb 13:15 "Continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name."
The need for unceasing prayer
We need unceasing prayer in our day. We run through an endless series of activities with scattered minds and noisy hearts. We feel strained, hurried, breathless. Thoughts dart in and out of our minds with no rhyme or reason. Seldom can we focus on a single thing for long. Everything and anything interrupts our sense of concentration. We are distracted people.
Unceasing prayer has a way of speaking peace into the chaos. We begin to experience the patience of God. Our fractured and fragmented activities begin focusing around a new center. We experience peace, stillness, serenity, firmness of life, orientation.
Breath Prayer
One way to practice "pray without ceasing" is the breath prayer. This prayer has its roots in the Psalms, where a repeated phrase reminds us of an entire Psalm, for example, "O Lord, you have searched me and known me." (Ps 139:1) As a result, the concept arose of a short, simple prayer of petition that can be spoken in one breath.
The most famous of the breath prayers is the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." It was used extensively in the sixth century and then was revived in the Eastern Church in the fourteenth century.
Practice
But the Jesus prayer is only one example. It is also possible to discover your own individual breath prayer. Here are a few examples: "O Lord, baptize me with love"; "Teach me gentleness, Father"; "Jesus, let me receive your grace"; "Gracious Master, remove my fear"; "Reveal my sin, O Holy Spirit". Notice the brevity, not more than seven or eight syllables. Also, note the sense of nearness and intimacy. God is addressed in a close, personal way. See too how the person praying expresses dependence and trust --the opposite of self-reliance. Then note that the prayers are all requests. We are asking God to show us his will, his way, his truth for our present need.
Create your own breath prayer. Create a quiet space and sit in silence in God's presence. After a few minutes, allow God to call you by name. Next, allow this question to surface: "What do you want?" Answer this question simply, maybe with a single word: peace, faith, strength, or a phrase: "to understand your truth," "to feel your love." Next, connect this phrase with the most comfortable way you have of speaking about God: "blessed Savior," "Immanuel," "Holy Father," "gracious Lord." Finally, you put these words together and begin praying your breath prayer as often as possible. Allow God to adjust your prayer throughout the day. God waits for us and welcomes us. Be with God.
Chapter 12: Prayer of the Heart
What is Prayer of the Heart?
Prayer of the Heart is praying in response to God. In all things, God initiates and we respond, and this prayer is the reflex action to the Spirit's prior invitation upon the heart. It is the Holy Spirit praying within us. It is the prayer of intimacy.
Background
God is spirit, and God's Spirit lives within us. When God's Spirit speaks to our spirit, or God's heart speaks to our heart, then that is Prayer of the Heart.
Read Song of Solomon 2:8-13. My beloved.
Read Galatians 4:1-6. Abba, Father.
Read Romans 8:9-16. Abba, Father.
Using "Abba" or "Beloved" in our prayer is a personal and intimate way to address God.
The Holy Spirit
When we participate in the Prayer of the Heart, we enter a realm where the Holy Spirit is the initiator. It is the Holy Spirit who creates this prayer, and it is the Holy Spirit who sustains it. It is, very simply, the Holy Spirit praying within us. In the Prayer of the Heart we have come to the end of our tether. We may try to use words, but words fail us. We struggle to express our heart and are painfully aware of how far our words are from the reality. It is here that the Holy Spirit steps in with "sighs too deep for words."
Example
The ways that the Prayer of the Heart are expressed are as infinite and varied as the mind of God. A common way that the Holy Spirit moves among us is when the Spirit will give us an impression or word, which will apply to our situation in a new way. God is near and deeply interested in the particular circumstances in our lives.
Our Response
There is no "method" to this prayer. One way of coming into the Prayer of the Heart is by love. Love is the response of the heart to the overwhelming goodness of God, so come simply and speak honestly. Speak words of love and compassion to the Father. It may seem strange at first; however, you will find that love language is perfectly natural to those who are in love. If you can not find the words of love, use "Abba" or "My Beloved." If you find it too difficult to speak words of love, then invite God to kindle a fire of love within you. Ask him to develop an ache in your heart.
We will take 2-3 minutes to sit with God in the Prayer of the Heart. Listen for a word or look for an impression.
Prayer
Abba, dear Abba, you know that the language of love does not come easily to me. I can talk of courage and faith and a whole host of other things more readily than I can of love. In some way it is easier to give up my body to be burned than to love. O wine of my heart, intoxicate me with your love. For Jesus'sake. Amen.
Chapter 13: Meditative Prayer
Analogy
Have you ever watched a cow chew its cud? This unassuming animal will fill its stomach with grass and other food. Then it settles down quietly and, through a process of regurgitation, reworks what it has received, slowly moving its mouth in the process. In this way it is able to fully assimilate what it has previously consumed, which is then transformed into rich, creamy milk.
So it is with Meditative Prayer. The truth being meditated upon passes from the mouth into the mind and down into the heart, where it produces in the person praying a loving, faith-filled response.
What is Meditative Prayer?
Meditative prayer is bound to Scripture. But it differs from the study of Scripture which centers on the critical interpretation of the passage. Meditation centers on internalizing and personalizing Scripture. The written Word becomes a living word addressed to us.
It is important not to pass over many passages superficially. Take a single event or a parable, or a few verses, or even a single word and allow it to take root in you.
Imagination
The simplest and most basic way to meditate upon the text of scripture is through the imagination, just as Jesus appealed to the imagination with his parables. We desire to see, to hear, to touch the Biblical narrative. In this simple way we begin to enter the story and make it our own. We are active participants. Using the imagination also brings the emotions into the equation, so that we come to God with both mind and heart. We are seeking to think God's thoughts after him, to delight in his presence, to desire this truth and his way. Christ is present among us to heal us, to forgive us, to change us, to empower us.
Practice
In meditation, we seek to live the experience of Scripture, Alexander Whyte says, "You open your New Testament-- And, by your imagination, that moment you are one of Christ's disciples on the spot, and are at His feet-- with your imagination anointed with holy oil; at one time, you are the publican; at another time, you are the prodigal; at another time, Peter in the porch." We smell the sea. We hear the lap of water along the shore. We see the crowd. We feel the sun on our heads and the hunger pangs in our stomachs. We taste the salt in the air. We touch the hem of his garment.
Meditation verse for today: "My peace I give you." (John 14:27)
For the next 2-3 minutes, we will consider the truth that fills us with his peace. Our hearts, minds, and spirits are awakened to his inflowing peace. We sense all motions of fear stilled and overcome by "a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline." (2 Tim 1:7) Rather than dissecting the peace, we are entering into it. We are enveloped, absorbed, gathered into peace.
During the rest of the day, bring this verse to mind.
Chapter 14: Contemplative Prayer
What is Contemplative Prayer?
Contemplative prayer immerses us into the silence of God. "For God alone my soul waits in silence" (Psalm 62:1). Contemplative prayer is a loving attentiveness to God. We are attending to him who loves us, who is near to us, and who draws us to himself. The prayer is an experience of the heart rather than the head. Juliana of Norwich declares "The whole reason why we pray is to be united into the vision and contemplation of him to whom we pray."
Bible verses
Read John 15:1-11 and John 17:13-21.
"Abide in me as I abide in you." (John 15:4)
"I am the vine, you are the branches." (John 15:5)
"I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete." (John 15:11)
I ask that they may all be one; as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us." (John 17:21)
Exercise
Practice contemplative prayer with three basic steps. Try to bring an attitude of listening prayer into the course of your day. Over time, we experience more and more an inward attentiveness to the Divine Whisper throughout all of the days' activities -- while building a bridge, planting seeds, hiking to a work site or talking with villagers.
1. Recollection. It means recollecting ourselves until we are unified-- body, will, mind, and emotions. The idea is to let go of all competing distractions until we are present in the moment. We will practice this prayer for the next 2-5 minutes. Sit comfortably and let all tension drop away. Become aware of God's presence in the room. If frustrations or distractions arise, simply lift them up into the arms of the Father and let him care for them. Let go of inner turmoil, don't suppress it. The Lord is present with us, so we can relax and let go of everything. We allow his great silence to still our noisy hearts. Wait on the Lord with no expectations.
2. Prayer of Quiet. As we put away all distractions of the mind, divine graces of love and adoration wash over us. At the center of our being we are hushed. There is stillness, but listening stillness. Our spirit is alert and listening. We listen with the mind, the heart, the spirit, the bones, and muscles. We sense the Lord's nearness and his love. As we wait before the Lord, we are given a teachable spirit.
3. Spiritual Ecstasy. Ecstasy is quite different from the previous two steps in that it is not an activity we undertake but a work that God does in us. Our responsibility here is to have a continuous openness and receptivity for the Spirit to rest upon us. The matter of ecstasy is God's business and not ours. It is similar to the experience of the Apostle Paul when he was caught up in the third heaven. (2 Corinthians 12:1-5) Since this is something that we really do not do (but God gives), do not be discouraged if you feel miles away from this experience. Just ask God for his help to be still and listen during your time of contemplation.
Chapter 15: Praying the Ordinary
Overview
Praying the Ordinary happens in three ways:
1. By turning ordinary experiences of life into prayer
2. By seeing God in the ordinary experience of life
3. By praying throughout the ordinary experiences
1. Praying as we work. Many today see their vocation as a hindrance to prayer "If only I had some time free from the distractions of work, then I could pray" is a common complaint. But our vocation can be an asset to prayer because our work becomes prayer. It is prayer in action. Life and prayer become completely interwoven. The work of our hands is acted out in prayer and is a love offering to the living God. We are to pray whether we are walking down a steep path to a work site, or using machetes to clear a garden space under the glaring sun. It is easier to pray while walking through awe-inspiring scenery, compared to when you are tired, hot, and sweating. But this is where we will find God the most.
Read 1 Corinthians 10:31. "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God."
2. Seeing God in the ordinary. In the fullness of time, Jesus was born in a stable. How the shepherds must have wondered at the Messiah -- swaddling clothes in a manger in a stable. How commonplace! The discovery of God lies in the daily and the ordinary, not in the spectacular and the heroic. If we cannot find God in the routine activities of life, then it will be difficult to see him in the unexpected places.
Read Luke 2:15-20. "And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger."
3. Praying through ordinary experiences in life. We take a photo of one of the villagers and are prompted to whisper a prayer of guidance for family members who are facing decisions regarding their crops and their walk of faith. We are visiting with friends in a market, and their words prompt us to lapse into prayer for them. We walk through the village, blessing the families and thanking God for sun and rain and all good things. This is ordinary prayer in ordinary experiences.
Read Ephesians 6:18-20. "Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out."
Practice
We will take several minutes to pray through the ordinary. Silently or aloud, mention specific villager names and situations. Ask God to bless them and thank God for them.
Prayer
Almighty, most holy, most high God, thank you for paying attention to small things. Thank you for valuing the insignificant. Thank you for being interested in the lilies of the field and the birds of the air. Thank you for caring about me. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Chapter 16: Petitionary Prayer
Background
Do you know why the mighty God of the universe chooses to answer prayer? It is because his children ask. God delights in our asking. His heart is warmed by our asking.
What is Petitionary Prayer?
When we ask for ourselves it is called petition; when it is on behalf of others it is called intercession. The Lord's Prayer is mainly petitionary. In a childlike expression of faith we bring our daily needs and desires to our heavenly Father. None of us would give our children a stone if they asked for bread, says Jesus. None of us would give them a snake if they requested fish. No, even we who are filled with our own self-centered agendas respect the parent-child relationships. All the more, then, God who loves us and joyfully gives to us when we ask. (Matt 7:9-10)
Two questions for discussion
1. Why should we ask God for things when he already knows our needs?
Because God likes to be asked. We like our children to ask us for things that we already know they need because the very asking enhances and deepens the relationship. God desires authentic dialogue, and that as we speak what is on our hearts, we are sharing real information that God is deeply interested in.
2. Why should I bother God with petty details of my life?
Nothing is more important to God than the anxiety we feel over the surgery we must face tomorrow and the exasperation we feel over our aging parents. There are matters of great magnitude to him because they are matters of great magnitude to us. Just as we long for our own children to share with us the petty details of their day at school, so God longs to hear from us the smallest matters of our lives. It delights him when we share.
The Lord's Prayer
Read Matthew 6:9-13. No prayer can equal the "Our Father." The Lord's Prayer is a total prayer. Its concerns embrace the whole world, from the coming of the kingdom to daily bread. Large and small things, spiritual things and material things, inward things and outward things--nothing is beyond the bounds of this prayer. The Lord's Prayer is essentially petitionary - asking. Adoration is present at both the beginning and the end, but petition is present through the main body of the prayer. Of its seven requests, three relate to personal petition: give, forgive, and deliver.
Prayer
Dear Father, I don't want to treat you like Santa Claus, but I do need to ask things of you. Give me, please, food to eat today. I'm not asking for tomorrow, but I am asking for today. Please forgive me for the infinite offenses to your goodness that I have committed today-- this hour. I'm not even aware of most of them. I live too unaware. That in itself is a sin against heaven. I'm sorry. Increase my awareness. And in my ignorance if I have asked for things that would really be destructive, please, do not give them to me-- do not lead me into temptation. Do protect me from the evil one. For Jesus' sake. Amen.
Chapter 17: Intercessory Prayer
Intercessory prayer is the purifying bath into which the individual and the fellowship must enter every day. -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
What is intercessory prayer?
If we truly love people, we will desire for them far more than it is within our power to give them, and this will lead us to prayer. Intercession is a way of loving others. When we move from praying for our own needs (petition) to the needs and concerns of other, that is intercessory prayer. Intercessory Prayer is selfless prayer. In the ongoing work of the kingdom of God, nothing is more important than Intercessory Prayer. People today desperately need the help that we can give them. And we can make a difference if we will learn to pray on their behalf. This is not optional.
What is supplication?
Supplication means to ask with earnestness, with intensity, with perseverance. We are going to keep at it and not give up. John Calvin writes, "We must repeat the same supplications not twice or three times only, but as often as we have need, a hundred and a thousand times--We must never be weary in waiting for God's help." This is important, for we live in a time that avoids commitment. Do you have patient determination in your prayer for others?
Jesus intercedes for us
Read Romans 8:34
Hebrews 7:25
1 Timothy 2:5
We are not left alone in this interceding work of ours. Our prayers of intercession are backed up and reinforced by the eternal intercessor. Jesus is intercessor before the throne of God, and we are enabled to pray for others with an entirely new authority.
Practice praying with others
Intercession can be done individually or corporately. During the day, you can intercede for others on your own. Now, we will practice group intercession. Jesus promises to be present in power whenever the community of faith is gathered in his name. (Matthew 18:20) There are many ways to go about the work of intercession. We will intercede for others by spending 2-3 minutes on each of these areas:
1. Pray through a photo album, directory, or other list of names or families.
2. Pray for your enemies: bless my neighbor, who I have wronged. Bless them all.
3. Pray for our leaders: mission team leaders, village leaders, country leaders.
4. Pray for the needy: in the village, in our home, in our church.
5. Pray for individuals or situations that spontaneously rise into your awareness as you quietly wait before God. Offer them to God, listening to see if any special discernment comes to guide the content of your prayer. Speak forth what seems most appropriate in full confidence that God hears and answers. After spoken intercession, end by remaining quiet for awhile, inviting the Holy Spirit to pray through you "with sighs too deep for words."
Chapter 18: Healing Prayer
What is healing prayer?
Healing Prayer is part of the normal Christian life. It is simply a normal aspect of what it means to live under the reign of God. God cares as much about the body as he does the soul, as much about the emotions as he does the spirit. The redemption that is in Jesus is total, involving every aspect of the person : body, soul, will, mind, emotions, and spirit. We are glad for doctors, psychologists, and other men and women who bring the healing power of Christ to others for the glory of God and the good of all concerned.
Healing Prayer can greatly enhance the good that is accomplished through human techniques. It is incredibly simple, like a child asking her father for help. In another sense it is incredibly complex, involving the interplay between the human and the divine, between the mind and the body, between the soul, and the spirit.
Simple approach
1. We listen. This is the step of discernment. We listen to people, we listen to God. We listen to people's requests, but we are also listening to God, asking him to show us the key to the problem. This sometimes comes by direct revelation, sometimes by hearing the words beneath the words, and sometimes by a combination of both.
2. We ask. This is the step of faith. We invite God's healing to come. We speak a definite, straightforward declaration of what is to be. We do not weaken our request with ifs, ands, or buts. We speak in boldness.
3. We believe. This is the step of assurance. Regardless if we feel strong or weak, we remember that our assurance is not based upon our ability to conjure up some special feeling. Rather, it is built upon a confident assurance in the faithfulness of God. We focus on his trustworthiness and his steadfast love.
4. We give thanks. This is the step of gratitude. We say something like: "Thank you, Jesus, that what we have seen and what we have said is the way it is going to be. Amen." We are giving thanks for what can be, what will be, by the mercy of God.
Question for Discussion
Read Matthew 12: 9-15. Why is everyone who receives prayer not healed? Jesus is the only one of whom it can be said, "He cured all of them." (Matt 12:15) Certainly not everyone we pray for is healed. The most straightforward answer to this question is "I don't know." I wish that every single person who sought Healing Prayer were instantly and totally healed. But it simply does not happen that way. Whatever the reasons, the sad fact is that sometimes we stand face to face with one for whom we have prayed and he or she is not well. The one thing we are to do is show compassion. Always! The gospel writers frequently mention that Jesus was "filled with compassion" for the people.
Laying on of Hands
Laying on of hands is a teaching found throughout the Bible. It is not an empty ritual. It is one means through which God imparts to us what we desire or need, or what God in his infinite wisdom knows is best for us. The laying on of hands in itself does not heal the sick--it is Christ who heals the sick. The laying on of hands is a simple act of obedience that quickens our faith and gives God the opportunity to impart healing.
Chapter 19: The Prayer of Suffering
History
In the Ravensbruck Nazi concentration camp--the camp where an estimated ninety-two thousand men, women, and children were murdered-- a piece of wrapping paper was found near the body of a dead child. On the paper was written this prayer: "O Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not only remember the suffering they have inflicted on us; remember the fruits we bought, thanks to this suffering: our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, the courage, the generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this. And when they come to judgment, let all the fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness."
Bible verses
Read Colossians 1:24
Philippians 3:7-11
1 Peter 4:12-13
What is the prayer of redemptive suffering?
There is suffering that is cruel and without meaning. But there is a different kind of suffering that has purpose. It is hard for us to grasp the idea of redemptive suffering because our culture avoids any form of discomfort or inconvenience. But the entire life of Jesus shows us the compatibility of grace and suffering. Paul, whose sufferings were abundant, declared, "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us."
In redemptive suffering we stand with people in their sin and in their sorrow. In the villages we serve, for example, we see suffering children in ill health, and suffering adults lacking adequate food or shelter. Their suffering is messy business, and we must step into the middle of the mess, to stand with them. It is shouldering the sins and sorrows of others in order that they may be healed and given new life. God will take our sorrows and use them to heal the world.
How to pray with suffering
Like Moses, boldly stand between God and his people, arguing with God to withhold his hand of judgment. It is a bold prayer. Admit your sin and the sins of your community. "We have sinned and done wrong-- we have not listened-- we have sinned against you."
We can follow the model of the prophet Daniel (chapter 9), who prayed "We do not present our supplication before you on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of your great mercies."
We will pray with suffering by starting with the following prayer. Add your own prayers aloud at the end of this prayer.
O Holy Spirit of God, so many hurt today. Help us to stand with them in their suffering. We do not really know how to do this. Guide us as we repent for others, especially our enemies. In the name and sake of Jesus. Amen.
Chapter 20: Authoritative Prayer
What is authoritative prayer?
Prayers that God uses to invade enemy territory and establish his kingdom. In authoritative prayer, we are not asking God to do something, but we are using the authority of God to command something to be done. This prayer uses power, compassion discernment, and prudence, as Jesus gave us an example. Authority needs compassion to keep it from becoming destructive. Compassion provides the environment in which authority can function. Discernment is the divine ability to see what is actually going on and to know what needs to be done. Prudence is practical common sense.
The Prayer of Command
We must be confident to speak the authoritative word when it is right and good. Jesus prayed this way and told us to do likewise. Jesus compelled the wind and the waves to stop saying, "Quiet, be still." He commanded the lepers, "Be clean." He touched blind eyes, saying, "Be opened." To deaf ears he said the same: "Be opened." To the paralytic he ordered, "Get up." To demonic spirits he ordered, "Come out."
Bible verses
Not only did Jesus exercise the prayer of command; he also gave the same authority to others, including us. Heavenly power is delegated to us, ordinary human beings.
Read Luke 9:1-6. The ministry of the apostles.
Read Luke 10: 8-21. The seventy disciples are sent out and Jesus rejoices.
Application
These passages apply to all of us. Jesus said, "The person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing." (John 14:12, The Message)
Take a few minutes to discuss what keeps us from stepping out in faith.
Coming against the powers of darkness
Authoritative prayer is focused primarily upon coming against the principalities and powers of this present darkness. Paul writes, "Our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of the present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Eph 6:12) We command fears of all kinds to leave and never return. We stand against evil thoughts and suspicions. We bind the spirit of anger and gossip and release the spirit of forgiveness and love. We come against all social evil and institutional injustice. We take authority over whatever is opposed to our life in the kingdom of God.
As you serve the people in the village, be in prayer over destructive behaviors in the lives of the people. Speak words of authority that break the curses lying over them from previous generations. Rebuke ill health and call for wholeness and well-being. Command fears of all kinds to leave and never return. Take a stand against evil thoughts and suspicions. Bind the spirit of anger and jealousy and release the spirit of forgiveness and love and faith. Pray that you can be a light set on a hill, causing truth and justice to flourish.
Chapter 21: Radical Prayer
To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world. - Karl Barth
What is radial prayer?
Radical prayer refuses to let us stay on the fringes of life's great issues. It dares to believe that things can be different. Its aim is the total transformation of persons, institutions, and societies. It is bold, big picture prayer. It calls us to a spiritual defiance of the world as it is now. We are subversives in a world of injustice, oppression, and violence.
Bible verses
Read Genesis 18:16-33. Abraham bargains with God over a fate of a city.
Read Exodus 33:7-17. Moses argues with God over the fate of a people.
Read Esther 4:5- 17. Esther pleads with the King over the fate of a nation.
How to pray radically
Our spiritual defiance involves attempting to change God's mind when we believe that to do so is consistent with God's unchanging love. We speak to God about the bruised and broken, the helpless and the homeless. We speak the truth. We pray for our enemies. We refuse to cooperate with injustice.
Prayer during the devotional
Take some time to pray for the country you are serving: the people, the church, the local leaders, and the national leaders.
1. Pray as the Holy Spirit leads you: against injustice, against lawlessness, against oppression.
2. Then repent for the sins of the world. Begin with the local government and expand your prayers to the nation and the world. Feel the sadness for the arrogance and selfishness that causes national injustice.
3. Finally, pray for God's grace and mercy to fill the land. Pray that God's will be done among the people. Pray that all people will hear the liberating message of life in Christ.
Prayer during the day
As you see injustice or oppression during the day, do not turn a deaf ear to the situation, but plead the cause of the helpless to the throne of heaven.
It is also important to pray in community. During the day, when you are moved to pray for specific situations or people, ask someone on your team to join you in a short prayer. God has brought us together for courageous action and unselfish love.
Copyright Barbara Williams 2009 * Permission granted 2/4/09
