Disciplined Prayer

 

Scripture

Colossians 4:2-4

 ²Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. ³At the same time pray for us as well that God will open to us a door for the word, that we may declare the mystery of Christ, for which I am in prison, ⁴so that I may reveal it clearly, as I should.  (NRSV)

Devotion

My home is a repository of sporadically used prayer items.  There's the cloth bag full of Anglican prayer beads that needs restrung.  The rosary ring I constantly in danger of misplacing.  The daily devotion books that I get halfway through only to set aside when life gets hectic.  The clinging cross that I gave it to someone and never replaced.  These items aren't necessary for prayer, but they can help me focus on it.  After all, life is messy.  When it feels like there is just too much for me to juggle at once, it is often my own spiritual life that gets put on the back-burner. There are times when I just need help finding the time and energy to pray.

In a world full of activities and distractions, it takes discipline to pray regularly--to make a point of quieting our minds and hold a conversation with God in which we can both unburden ourselves and listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.  While it can be tempting to put off prayer until tomorrow, this spiritual discipline is incredibly important.  It draws is closer to the God.  It reminds us who God is in relation to us and what our relationship with the Almighty should be.  And it teaches us to trust in the one who is our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer...the one who is always here to love, guide, and protect us.  Finally, it makes our hearts and minds more receptive to that still small voice of Holy Spirit telling us how we can help God to open doors for the Word and declare the great mystery of Christ to the world.

When I find myself struggling to carve out time for prayer or I don't even know what to say to Jesus (much less what to listen for), I find it helpful to think back to the moments we see people pray throughout scripture:

• Paul spent his time in prison praying for God to work in the lives of others and asking others and asking the people he prayed for to do the same for him..
• Peter prayed without even meaning to when he cried "Lord, save me" as he began to sink beneath the waves  (Matthew 14:30). 
• Esther fasted and prayed as she gathered her courage to approach King Ahaseurus (Esther 4).  
• The prophets prayed for God to save them from distress and to work on the hearts of those who needed to repent of their sins. 
• David offered up prayers of great thanksgiving, deep lament, and heartfelt confession...prayers we still recite today in the Psalms.
• Job went to God with his anger, confusion, and despair as his whole world fell apart around him.
  

These examples are just a few of the countless moments that people pray in the Bible.  And if folks could find the time and to turn to God in all those circumstances, then surely I can find the time in my day to offer up my own prayer.  And if no words will come, then I can sit in silence for a while and wait for God to speak to my heart.

As I drove back from an errand today, I put on my rosary ring (which I found stowed away in my purse) and gave it a  turn. The ring has 10 raised dots and a cross.  It is meant to be spun around the wearer's finger or thumb as they recite the rosary.  I've adapted this practice to my own spiritual needs by picking a topic (confession, joys, concerns, etc). and then use each dot to pray for something that fits that topic.  When I get to the cross, I say the Lord's prayer.  As the ring spun round today, a prayer of confession began to come forth...first haltingly and then with increasing fervor Dot by dot,I was able to share the mistakes and misgivings that were eating at me with Jesus, experience again the relief that comes with knowing that God has forgiven me, and accept the Holy Spirit's help as a committed to doing better.  I emerged from my car with a renewed sense of God at work in and through me. 

 And I am so thankful that today, Jesus helped me find the discipline to pray.  And I hope that you can find that discipline too...perhaps not with confession, but with some form of prayer.  Jesus is our friend, and when we go to him in prayer, our lives become richer...fuller...less burdened and more secure.  So let us go to take ourselves to God in prayer...and experience the freedom that is found through our discipline.

Prayer

Today, I invite you to do a modified version of what I do with my rosary ring.  Place five small items in front of you (pennies, beads, pebbles, etc).  Take your touch holding the objects one by one, choose to pray about one of the following topics:

• 5 blessings you would like to thank God for;
• 5 things that you have done wrong and need to confess;
• 5 personal fears/concerns that you need God's help with.
• 5  places where you would like to see God intercede in the world 
  

Once you have taken the time to pray for your 5 things, end with the Lord's Prayer.