And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:16 Sometimes prayer is receiving God’s blessing. Sometimes prayer is allowing Jesus to gently place his hands on us and speak words of blessing over us. To bless someone is to envision a positive future for them. It is to speak of the promise of God’s care and provision throughout their lives. We … [Read more...] about Being Blessed by God as Prayer

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:9-10 Prayer is knowing that wherever we go, wherever we are, we are held securely by God. We might pray this way by reflecting on images of being held by Love. We might sit quietly for a few minutes and feel ourselves held securely in … [Read more...] about Being Held as Prayer

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 Prayer is taking in God’s delight in us. Prayer is being quieted by God’s love. Prayer is listening to God sing songs of joy over us. Whether our parents delighted over us or not, whether our parents quieted us … [Read more...] about Hearing God’s Love Songs as Prayer

The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 Prayer is taking in God’s delight in us. Prayer is being quieted by God’s love. Prayer is listening to God sing songs of joy over us. Whether our parents delighted over us or not, whether our parents quieted us … [Read more...] about Hearing God’s Love Songs as Prayer

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?…Therefore do not worry about tomorrow… Matthew 6:26. 27.34 Many of us find that it is all too easy to get lost in the maze of our minds. We do this without even realizing it. We … [Read more...] about Living in the Present as Prayer

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.…He is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. Acts 17:24-25, 27-29 Prayer is living with the … [Read more...] about Living in God’s Presence as Prayer

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me, even at night my heart instructs me, I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:7-8 We are invited to engage with God in ongoing conversation. Night and day we listen as God counsels and instructs us. Night and day we practice awareness of God’s loving, guiding presence. Night and day we … [Read more...] about Communing with God as Prayer

Awake my soul! awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching the heavens; your faithfulness reaches the skies. Psalm 57:8-10 Prayer is awakening. We have a tendency to fall asleep spiritually. Too often we forget who we are and what life is about. We forget the deeper … [Read more...] about Awakening as Prayer

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life. Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a Saying “no” to false gods can, perhaps, be compared to the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, taking the first steps of leaving their life of slavery in Egypt. They were now moving toward new freedom. … [Read more...] about Saying Yes to God as Prayer

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life. Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a Saying “no” to false gods can, perhaps, be compared to the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, taking the first steps of leaving their life of slavery in Egypt. They were now moving toward new freedom. … [Read more...] about Saying Yes to God as Prayer