Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Matthew 14: 22-23 Sometimes prayer is a kind of solitude. It is allowing ourselves to be alone with God. According to the Gospels, Jesus went out of his way to find solitude. Sometimes he … [Read more...] about Experiencing Solitude as Prayer

But I trust in your unfailing love. Psalm 13:5 Prayer is an act of trust. More specifically, it is an act of trusting God's unfailing love. Trust is the act of relying on something or someone. When we take the risk of crossing the river by driving over a bridge, we are trusting the bridge to do what it promises to do. We trust the bridge to assist us, to support us, to be there for us. In the … [Read more...] about Trusting as Prayer

Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Psalm 25:4-5 Jesus told his followers that the day would come when his followers would no longer see him but that "the Counselor, the Holy Spirit...will teach you all things." (John 14:26) Prayer is sometimes the … [Read more...] about Being Taught by God as Prayer

I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. Psalm 16:7 One of the names for God in Scripture is "Wonderful Counselor." A counselor is someone who listens with respect and compassion to our questions and concerns. A counselor draws us out, helping us clarify what we are experiencing, where we need course correction and what we can do in order to … [Read more...] about Being Counseled by God as Prayer

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Colossians 3:16 One way to pray by listening is to listen to Scripture using a simple approach known as lectio divina, which simply means divine reading. It is a way of reading Scripture that allows the Spirit to use the words of the text to speak directly and deeply into our hearts and lives. In this way of reading, we slow down our reading and we … [Read more...] about Listening to Scripture as Prayer

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? I King 19:12-13 The context of this story from the first book of Kings is that the prophet Elijah has fled for … [Read more...] about Hearing as Prayer

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18,19 Prayer is seeing. Prayer is having our eyes opened. It is having the eyes of our hearts enlightened to the hope to which God calls us, to the riches … [Read more...] about Seeing as Prayer

The word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. Love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. Deuteronomy 30: 14, 19 Many of us have only known prayer to be a one way conversation. We talk and God listens. But prayer is meant to be a two way conversation. Sometimes we talk. And sometimes we listen. It is true that the biblical … [Read more...] about Listening as Prayer

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help I sing in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 63:6-7 Sometimes prayer is remembering the ways in which God has helped us. It is common for us to carry in our minds and bodies the memories of events that have been difficult, frightening or traumatic. It is common for us to live out of the … [Read more...] about Remembering as Prayer

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power...For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,..but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms...Put on the full armor of God so that...you may stand your ground. Ephesians 6: 10-13 Prayer is standing strong in the middle of a spiritual battle. It is remembering that there is … [Read more...] about Engaging in Battle as Prayer