Practices for Lent that Help us Be with Jesus: Week 2

Prayer: Talking to and listening to God; asking for His will to be done on earth, and interceding on behalf of others.  

Article: 

“The Spirit’s deepest desire is to glorify God and draw us into His presence.  Although being empowered to be Jesus’ people in a broken world is certainly a large part of how the Spirit moves in power in our life...the eternal desire of the Spirit is to draw us into the presence of God so that we can forever worship and commune with Him.  To this end, the Spirit is the deposit and guarantee of our future. He is God dwelling in us now, the presence of God in us, as a sign that one day we will forever live in the Presence of God, finally seeing Him face to face.  

It is the Spirit who enables us to pray, to worship, to hear God’s voice, and to experience God’s deep love and delight in us.  We pray because the Spirit prompts us to pray and then prays through us, translating our wordless groans and desires into the language of heaven (Rom. 8:26)...The deep longing of the Spirit is for us to draw near to God, to live in intimate communion with Him.  The intimacy your heart longs for is found by leaning into the Spirit through prayer and worship, through rest and service, whether you’re in the midst of mourning or celebration. More than acts of service, the Lord wants you in His presence now--to taste here on earth what it is like in the heavens; to experience the abundant intimate life now that you will have with Him for all of eternity.  

If the Spirit desires for all of us to experience intimate communion, then why do so many Christians experience 'dry' spiritual lives?  Why do so few Christians pray and worship? A.W. Tozer explains: 

Why do some persons ‘find’ God in a way that others do not?  Why does God manifest His Presence to some and let multitudes of others struggle along in the half-light of imperfect Christian experience?  Of course the will of God is the same for all. He has no favorites within His household. All He has ever done for any of His children He will do for all of His children.  The difference lies not with God but with us.  

If the difference lies with us, then how do we practice being in God’s presence?  How can we lean into the Spirit’s leading, moving in step with and not against Him?"¹    

Helpful Verses:

Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  Matthew 6:9-13

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.  Ephesians 6:18

Interesting Quotes: 

“Simple prayer involves ordinary people bringing ordinary concerns to a loving and compassionate Father...We do not pretend to be more holy, more pure, or more saintly than we actually are. We do not try to conceal our conflicting and contradictory motives from God—or ourselves. And in this posture we pour out our heart to the God who is greater than our heart and who knows all things.”  Richard Foster

“I am convinced, however, that our constant activity is fruitless without first making that humble act of kneeling to pray. I am convinced that prayer is not only our greatest privilege, but also our greatest source of power.”  Pete Greig

“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?”  Corrie Ten Boom

Exercises: 

1) Start (or end) your day with prayer.  

1) Make a short list of people (including yourself) or circumstances where you desire to see God radically move.  

    Name/Circumstance: 

   - 

   -

   - 

   - 

   - 

   - 

2) Spend a minute or two in silence.  

• Let your mind calm down.  
• As thoughts come to mind of things you have to do, things you’re worried about, etc., give those thoughts to God.  

3) Thank God for these three realities: 

• He is your Father.  He has good intentions for you.  He cares about everything in your life--small and large.  
• He is here with you now.  
• Your prayers really do make a difference.  

4) Pray through your prayer list.  

5) End your time in prayer by asking God to fill and empower you.  Devote your day to Him.  

¹ Jon Tyson and Suzy Silk, Kingdom Values, 163-164.