Prayer Changes (How You See) the World
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“Writing has been not so much expressing absolutely what I know, as exploring and discovering what I half know and still need to learn.”
– Malcolm Guite in “Lifting the Veil” the “Henri Nouwen, Now and Then” Podcast 10/31/21
“Preaching on prayer has been not so much expressing absolutely what I know, as exploring and discovering what I half know and still need to learn.” --Mark Simmons adapting from Malcolm Guite
Prayer: Bringing the real me to the God who really loves me.
To what degree are you bringing your real self to God?
3 dimensions of prayer to the Person of God:
1) Presence: Non-verbal
A conversation about prayer between Dan Rather and Mother Teresa:
DR: “You say that you pray all the time. What do you say to God?”
MT: “I don’t say anything…I listen.”
DR: “Well, then what does He say to you?”
MT: “He doesn’t say anything…He listens…”
MT: “…and if you can’t understand that, I cannot explain it to you.”
3 dimensions of prayer to the Person of God:
1) Presence: Non-verbal
2) Talking:
Nehemiah 2:1-5 (NIV)
3 dimensions of prayer to the Person of God:
1) Presence: Non-verbal
2) Talking:
3) Listening:
The critical importance of silence and solitude
Luke 6:12-13 (NIV)
One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
Two prayer ideas from Celtic Christianity:
1) Thin places: “A thin place,” it is said, “is a place where the boundary between heaven and earth is especially thin. It’s a place where we can sense the divine more readily.”
Genesis 28:10-19 (NLT)
· Geographical (Mt Angel Abbey, Soul Care location, Worship Center)
Do you have a special, geographical beth-el (house of God)?
· Experiential
What experiences help you sense God’s presence?
Two prayer ideas from Celtic Christianity:
Thin places
Anamchara/Anam cara (“Soul Friend” in Irish Gaelic)
· Spiritual Director
God
Spiritual Director You
SVCC Spiritual Directors: Lisa Fletcher ( lisafletch@gmail.com)
Rick Pate ( rick1diane@yahoo.com) Diane Pate ( dianepatesd66@gmail.com)
· Prayer partner
· Family and other friendships
How can you deepen your prayer relationships with others?
Make your body and your soul consistent as you pray:
1) Eyes up for gratitude, trust and praise
Luke 9:16 (NIV)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people.
2) Lying prostrate on the ground for humility, brokenness and grief
Matthew 26:36-39 (NIV)
Bowing, kneeling, standing, sitting, lifted hands, outstretched laying on of hands, silence, lifted voice, crying out, whispering, etc.
Powerful Displays of Prayer in the Bible (lifeway.com)
