PRAYER: THE HEARTBEAT OF THE CHURCH
cherish—to use them for His honor. while, though, I try to think about Him and then again late in the evening. “I am
Sometimes I vary my time with Christ by and recognize His presence, even as I turn on a quest to know God,” Smith says.
meditating on the Psalms, or on prayers the Gospel passage over in my mind. At “Not in an introductory type of relation-
written by saints such as A.W. Tozer, the end of this time, I typically speak the ship, but in an intimate kind.” Taking his
Augustine, Martin Luther, Ignatius of holy name of Jesus for several minutes, place on the balcony of his apartment
Loyola, and Brother Lawrence. Since I or else pray the ‘Pilgrim’s Prayer’: ‘Jesus, with a cup of tea, he sits and waits. He
started this pattern more than 20 months Son of David, have mercy on me’” (Mark sits and prays. He sits and reads Scripture.
ago, I often discover an hour is not 10:47, NIV). He sits and listens.
enough time to sit as His feet. Gordon often concludes his time with “Often during this time, a song
I am not alone in my discovery of the the Lord by spending another 15 minutes begins in my spirit and I listen careful-
relationship between disciplined prayer or more reading commentaries, articles ly. Sometimes it’s motivation or
and a more fruitful prayer life. Others on theology, biographies of saints, or instruction to do something; some-
have also learned that relationship. additional passages of Scripture. times, to worship.” There are times
Keeping a Promise to God
Fifteen years ago, attorney Sally Land-
FOR MANY CHRISTIANS, AN HOUR OF WORSHIP
back disciplined herself to spend time with
the Lord each morning. She refers to it as
EACH DAY IS EASY TO START, BUT DIFFICULT
her “Rule of Life,” and it has helped her
maintain her worship focus over the years.
TO CONTINUE. OTHER THINGS WHISPER IN OUR
Before then, her prayer life “was some-
what dependent on my emotional state,
EARS TO DRAW US AWAY FROM OUR PLACE
praying when I felt like it—relying on the
‘the Spirit to move me.’” When she adopt- AT CHRIST’S FEET. THOSE THINGS, THOUGH,
ed the Rule of Life, her time with the Lord
became rooted in obedience to a vow
SHOULD NOT DISCOURAGE US.
made to God. It became something she
had to do. Now she spends about an hour
each morning with the Lord. Louise Jarrett is a housewife and for- when nothing happens. Then there are
First she reads portions of the Old Tes- mer schoolteacher. When she first com- times God manifests Himself to him by
tament, the Psalms, the Epistles, or the mitted herself to Christ nearly 30 years His presence. “It’s not usually a feel-
Gospels. She keeps a journal nearby and ago, she prayed quick prayers for guid- ing,” Smith says. “It’s more like a sense
records insights she receives during her ance. She then read a chapter or two that He is there.”
reading. Afterward, she goes to prayer. from the Bible and went about her day. For many Christians, an hour of wor-
Sometimes she recites written prayers, She formed a habit of praying also before ship each day is easy to start, but difficult
editing them in her mind as necessary to she went to sleep. to continue. Other things whisper in our
meet her emotional prayer needs. Other “Then I began to pray just as I awoke ears to draw us away from our place at
times she prays spontaneously, as the and also after my Bible reading. I also Christ’s feet. Those things, though,
Holy Spirit brings people and circum- prayed as I felt the need throughout the should not discourage us. As Brother
stances to her mind. day. Now I find I pray most of the time— Lawrence observed, “We should not
Landback says of her daily discipline, a communing type of prayer, not so much wonder if, in the beginning, we often
“It has changed my life. Prayer doesn’t with words but with my thoughts. It’s not failed in our endeavors, but that at last
seem a burden at all. If anything, it’s the so much that I pray, but that I listen.” we should gain a habit, which will natu-
best part of the day.” During the past several years, as her rally produce its acts in us, without our
Graphic designer Mark Gordon’s day discipline strengthened, her prayer life care, and to our exceeding great delight.”
begins at 5 a.m. “I get up, make coffee, deepened. Now her morning prayers focus And those who discover that great
read a short passage of Scripture—usually on rededication. Her evening prayers delight also discover an hour is not enough
from the Gospels—and then sit in silence move toward contrition. When she awak- time to spend in His presence.
for about 45 minutes. During this time I ens at night and has trouble falling back
try to reflect on the Gospel passage I’ve asleep, she intercedes for others.
read and what the Lord may be saying to
Rich Maffeo enjoys his daily
me through it. I ask Him, then silently
Sitting and Listening commune with the Lord in
wait for an answer, which sometimes Paul Smith, an editor for a Christian
Gig Harbor, Washington.
comes and sometimes doesn’t. All the publisher, sets time early in the morning
EVANGEL • FEB 2009 19
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