Prayer - Just My Imagination
Last week I was writing about my prayer life and how it wasn't flowing very well. It has been a bit better, but not great.
I read this post by Justin Baeder with his struggles on prayer. He talks about how he views prayer and I've been thinking of mine.
Early last year I read a book called, Seeing is Believing by Gregory A. Boyd. It is about prayer and how to turn it from an obligation into something you are passionate about. It turned me around and got me on track. Like I do with Jesus many times, when I'm feeling good (on top of the world) I start to rely more on myself and I left some of those suggestions from the book behind.
How do you imagine your prayers? Not, how do you say them? Not, how do you structure them? How do you imagine them?
Is it your voice in your head just going on to fill up the quiet? Your spiritual laundry list?
God, thank you for this and that and that other thing....
Or do you pray Hebrews 4:16:
You say, that isn't really a prayer. I read it and it didn't really feel like a prayer. What has changed?
Stop. Wherever you are in your walk. No matter how bad you think you've messed up.
Close your eyes. (After you read this!) Think of a huge palace. Huge. Ornate. Subjects everywhere dressed to a 't'. Maybe some 'court' music is playing softly. Marble floors inlaid with pure gold and diamonds. At the center of the great room is the most amazing chair you have ever seen or could imagine seeing. It is the throne of grace.
You come in. Wrong clothes. No shoes. Wrong look. Wrong everything. It doesn't matter. Everyone notices and stands aside as you boldly walk up and approach the throne of grace. You know you are in the right place and going the right direction. You know once you make it to the throne, you know mercy and grace will be waiting for you at a time you so desperately need it.
That is the Hebrews 4:16 prayer and that is where I am trying to get back to.
I read this post by Justin Baeder with his struggles on prayer. He talks about how he views prayer and I've been thinking of mine.
Early last year I read a book called, Seeing is Believing by Gregory A. Boyd. It is about prayer and how to turn it from an obligation into something you are passionate about. It turned me around and got me on track. Like I do with Jesus many times, when I'm feeling good (on top of the world) I start to rely more on myself and I left some of those suggestions from the book behind. How do you imagine your prayers? Not, how do you say them? Not, how do you structure them? How do you imagine them?
Is it your voice in your head just going on to fill up the quiet? Your spiritual laundry list?
God, thank you for this and that and that other thing....
Or do you pray Hebrews 4:16:
Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
You say, that isn't really a prayer. I read it and it didn't really feel like a prayer. What has changed?
Stop. Wherever you are in your walk. No matter how bad you think you've messed up.
Close your eyes. (After you read this!) Think of a huge palace. Huge. Ornate. Subjects everywhere dressed to a 't'. Maybe some 'court' music is playing softly. Marble floors inlaid with pure gold and diamonds. At the center of the great room is the most amazing chair you have ever seen or could imagine seeing. It is the throne of grace.
You come in. Wrong clothes. No shoes. Wrong look. Wrong everything. It doesn't matter. Everyone notices and stands aside as you boldly walk up and approach the throne of grace. You know you are in the right place and going the right direction. You know once you make it to the throne, you know mercy and grace will be waiting for you at a time you so desperately need it.
That is the Hebrews 4:16 prayer and that is where I am trying to get back to.
posted by Bart at 8:17 PM
2 Comments:
i don't know what your thoughts are on the soveriegnty of God, but Greg Boyd seems to believe that God is not all-knowing. his books seem to point to the fact that God is always changing His mind. while it may be a good warm fuzzy read, the God of the bible is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Well, anonymous (if that is your real name), I’m not sure I understand your reply, but I’ll make a go at it.
I have not read any other books by Greg Boyd. This is the only one. I am interested in looking at some of his others.
From this book, I did not pick up on the idea that God is not all knowing. I just didn’t see that, but it wasn’t the lens I was looking through.
As far as my thoughts on the sovereignty of God, I believe he is sovereign. I’m not sure if there is a new way to define this, but I take it to mean the supreme power of God. Yes, I believe God is the supreme power. God has the supreme power.
You say, “but Greg Boyd seems to believe that God is not all knowing.” Which I thought was better defined as omniscient. I believe God is omniscient and sovereign. Maybe you are using those words for each other. Again, if Boyd believes God is not all knowing then I missed it. (But, I miss a lot from time to time!)
I do believe God knows everything, he knows all, but I don’t think that precludes him from changing his mind. I see several biblical examples where that is the case.
As far as being “a good warm fuzzy read,” yes, for me, it was. It was warm and fuzzy just like when Jesus accepts the little ones to come to Him when the adults are trying to keep them away. That too gives me hope.
The God of the bible is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
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