Saturday, March 7, 2009
Re-Post: What to Expect from Prayer
Prayer is a gift. It happens simply because of God’s grace that enables me and calls me to approach Him. Therefore, I should not think of prayer as something I can master, or should attempt to master. Mastering prayer or being skilled in prayer sounds like it is another aspect of me trying to be in control of something. If prayer is foremost a gift of grace, certainly it travels way beyond being a necessary religious task to be ‘mastered,’ or something that has to lend itself in some way over time to be measured. Furthermore, it is not something that has to be controlled, or in my power to develop. This kind of prayer is certainly not relational, but technical. This is a human-governed form of prayer with its end fixed ultimately on self. Prayer is the pursuit of God. It is the genuine movement of God and me walking together, living together, and being in communion together. God is offering Himself to me. He desires me. This truth captivates me. Everything else is still in the realm of priority when prayed with the right motives, but it is secondary, or a byproduct. Jeremiah 29:12 and 13 stir in my thoughts when God says clearly, “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Therefore, I can appropriately expect from prayer, foremost, God’s voice, God’s presence, and God Himself. What is your prevailing view of prayer? Is your current life of prayer one that has changed over time? If so, why did it change?
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"Prayer is the pursuit of God. It is the genuine movement of God and me walking together, living together, and being in communion together. God is offering Himself to me."
ReplyDeleteThis really resonated with me, Michael. You need to come to Boise! We could really use some thinkers like you.
To answer your questions-
I think my view of prayer has evolved over time, but at times I fall back in to this "technical","religious task" form of prayer that you talk about. It's this theology of "up-there" God, rather than right here, very center of reality God. It's when I realize that God isn't in a cloud checking his e-mail and suddenly sees i've "sent" him a prayer, but he's here now, present as I type, present as I leave here and drive down the road. He is life-giver, sustenance, lover, friend, etc. I appreciate your perspective and for allowing God to use your thoughts and writing. Keep bringin' it!
Good thoughts Steve. In the Western world we have an "external view" of where God is, which overlooks the truth of Scripture. Acts 17:24ff tells us that "In Him we live, and move, and have our being...He is not far from anyone of us." This is great passage of Scripture to meditate on when it comes to prayer. Thanks for joining the discussion.
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