Come Close to Christ

"[The Lord] raised up for his people [the Christ], the praise of... the people close to his heart" (Psalm 148:14).

"People close to his heart." I am close to the Lord's heart! You are close to the Lord's heart!

Remember John at the Last Supper? He reclined on Jesus' chest and later he told the whole world again and again: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!" (John 13:23, 26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20).

What a blessing it is when I'm meditating on Scripture and the Holy Spirit brings the Word to life in my heart like this! Words I've read many times before suddenly blossom into vibrant, new life. What a surprise! What a joy! It's as if I've never read the words before, though I've read them many times.

Oh, to be captivated by Christ all the time! Oh, to be continually drawn into the glorious realm of his kingdom of the heavens!

Linger with my little prayer poem, "Come Close to Christ." Imagine yourself with Jesus as John was you too will start skipping and rejoicing with John: "I am the disciple Jesus loves!"

Come Close to Christ
Come to Christ
Supper with the Savior
See his smile
Lean on the Lord
Hear his heartbeat
Delight to be his disciple

What a wonderful scene this is! What a prayer! As often as you can remember today try reminding yourself, "I am close to the Lord's heart... I am the disciple Jesus loves..."

Who do you know who needs to "Come Close to Christ"? Offer a prayer for him or her. "_______ is close to the Lord's heart... _______ is the disciple Jesus loves..."

It'd be good to send your friend a word of encouragement right now!

Only Read if You're Thirsty

By Bill Gaultiere © 2010

“All reading not intended for us by God is dangerous,” wrote Jeane-Pierre de Caussade in his classic devotional book of the 18th Century.

The French Jesuit Priest continued,” It is by doing the will of God and obeying His holy inspirations that we obtain grace, and this grace works in our hearts through our reading or other employment. Apart from God reading is empty and vain and, being deprived for us of the life-giving power of the action of God, only succeeds in emptying they heart by the very fullness it gives to the mind” (Section V, p. 9).

Jesus offers us his Spirit to drink: “If anyone is thirsty, let him [or her] come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him [or her]. (John 7:38).

You and I are thirsty for Living Water. We quench our thirst by drinking, not by reading about drinking.

So when you read the Bible or this article don’t read just to get through it – read to pray, read to drink in the Spirit of Christ. Some Christian writings are more helpful along these lines than others. Read the ones that inspire you to pray with the Psalmist:

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2).

Everywhere we go God’s streams are available – if only we’d feel our thirst and drink! Our life and our eternity depend on this. And the lives of everyone we come in contact with depend on us being able to overflow with this Living Water.

Are you feeling thirsty for God right now? Pause… Take a deep breath… Smile upward… Drink in of the Holy Spirit all around you…

“Waves of Love” is my thirsty for God prayer poem inspired by Psalm 42.

“Reading the Classics of Devotion” is a list of good old books that elicit my thirst for God.

For more regular updates sign up for my Soul Shepherding Blog.

Don't Worry - Listen to the Birds

By Bill Gaultiere © 2008, 2010

I was thinking of Jesus’ words: “Don’t worry. Look at the birds… Your Heavenly Father cares for them. Aren’t you much more valuable than them?” (Matthew 6:25-26, PAR). (The Psalmist had a similar meditation that Jesus may have drawn from, Psalm 104:12, 17, 27-30).

And they inspired me to sit down and do some bird watching while I prayed today as I was alone with Jesus in the quiet for a few hours. As I watched and listened to what was going on above my head Jesus spoke to my heart.

Don’t misunderstand me. The Lord’s voice didn’t come to me like lightening filling the sky. And I didn’t see an angel. At first many things distracted me: lawnmowers and grass blowers, a cold wind blowing, my own concerns and worries. But I kept looking at the birds in the heavens (the lowest level of the kingdom of the heavens is the air right around us) and I kept listening.

I discovered that indeed I was alive in the Kingdom of God with the Trinity, the angels, Christ followers – ancient and present – and all of God’s creation, including the birds who were God’s messengers to me on this day.

Here’s what I heard Jesus whisper to me:

Don’t Worry: Listen to the Birds

Don’t worry: Look at the birds;

Trust my Father as they do,

Feeding each day from his hand.

~

Don’t worry: Listen to the birds;

Rest in my Word as they do,

Sitting quietly and alone on the Branch.

~

Don’t worry: Learn from the birds;

Sing with my angels as they do,

Harmonizing with the choruses of heaven.

~

Don’t worry: Live like the birds;

Fly with my Spirit as they do,

Responding to the currents of my Breath.

~

Don’t worry: Love like the birds;

Gather with my friends as they do,

Traveling in formation as my flock.

For more help overcoming worry read: Why the Birds Don’t Worry.

You can read my post, "Abba's Child", on my Soul Shepherding blog which I post on more regularly. You can sign up to receive the Soul Shepherding blog or the bi-monthly Christian Soul Care Devotional I write.

Thank you!

Bill
Director of Spiritual Formation Ministries
Crystal Cathedral

When You're Lonely

By Bill Gaultiere (c) 2010

I know what it’s like to feel lonely.

The worst thing is to be in a group of people and feel alone… Other people are enjoying conversation, smiling, laughing, but it appears that no one wants to talk to you and you start to feel more and more self-conscious. It seems like people are looking at you standing there all alone. You feel awkward, anxious, embarrassed, bad about yourself.

Maybe you have felt this way too.

The Psalmist did. He described himself as a lonely bird sitting atop the roof of house and waiting for the Lord (Psalm 102:7).

Time and again the Psalmist shows us how to pray our way out of loneliness and into the arms of the Lord: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:6; see also Psalm 142:4-5). Knowing this way of the Psalmist, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

Over seven years ago I began praying in lonely places with Jesus and I experienced His presence with me – I wasn’t alone! Even in group situations where I found myself left out of conversation I learned to meditate on Scripture and carry on a secret conversation with my Lord – I wasn’t alone!

One day hiking with Jesus I watched a lonely bird and wrote a prayer poem to express how the Lord loved me out of my loneliness:

A Lovely Bird

On the hillside

A lonely bird

Apart from the flock

Standing atop a reed

Blowing in the wind

I’m longing for a friend

~

From the heavens

A Lovely Bird

A heart for the flock

Stooping onto my reed

Dancing in the wind

We’re singing together

The Bible is filled with promises of Comfort for the Lonely.

A Prayer for when you Minister to Others

Many people after they put themselves out to minister to others feel self-doubt. Pastors may wonder if they preached a good sermon. Small group leaders may question their effectiveness. Counselors feel might feel unsure they said the right thing. Anyone who serves others is likely to ask: “Did I make a difference?”

In order to feel adequate in our ministry to others most of us try too hard. We rely more on our own wisdom and strength than on the Holy Spirit. We try to please people and base our identity on what they think of us. What exhaustion and distress this causes us! And it leaves us disconnected from God and his kingdom in the moment.

There is another way of going about ministry! Jesus taught us to cultivate a continuous secret prayer life with the Father and to consider his affirmation as the only reward that we need (Matthew 6:4,6,18). An important way to do this is to meditate on Scripture before you teach, counsel, or serve others in order to get your mindset right.

Jesus warned us that when we neglect to abide in him then we don’t bear fruit and we miss out on love, joy, and peace (John 15:1-17). Many pastors and ministry leaders suffer from stress overload or burnout because they’re not ministering out of their abiding.

I wrote a Scripture-based prayer that has helped me to abide in Christ while I minister and in all that I do. Cultivating this attitude in prayer prevents a lot of problems!

A Prayer of Affirmation for Pastors

The smile of the Father shines on me – I am approved of; [i]

I have the mind of Christ – I have important things to say; [ii]

Upon me is the anointing of the Holy Spirit – I am empowered. [iii]

~

Jesus is my Lord and Savior and I dwell in his kingdom of the heavens; [iv]

He is my Teacher and I am his beloved apprentice – [v]

I urge people to join me and be with Jesus to become like him. [vi]

~

The Word of God is alive and active and it dwells richly in me [vii]

And the Holy Spirit reminds me of Jesus’ words of truth and grace – [viii]

So I can minister the Word of life to others and it will not return void. [ix]

~

The Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives in me [x]

So I do not speak with human wisdom or worldly excitement [xi]

Or rely on my own strength – I count on the power of Almighty God.[xii]

~

As I teach I listen to voice of God and invite others to listen to him; [xiii]

As I serve I join the intercessions of the Holy Spirit, [xiv]

Praying that we all cry out with him, “Abba Father! Jesus is Lord!” [xv]

~

The Lord is glorious in all things and he captivates me continually;

So I do not draw attention to myself, but to Jesus Christ alone;

Nor do I base my identity on what people say about me.

~

I am Christ’s Ambassador; [xvi]

My citizenship is in heaven’s kingdom; [xvii]

My message is simply: “Follow me as I follow Christ!” [xviii]

~

The pastors and leaders who minister to you need your prayers and encouragement. To learn more read my articles “Pastors Under Stress” and “Pastors’ Wives Under Stress.”

Good Shepherd is Looking for You!

You long to be pursued in love. So do I.

“How are you… really? What do you need? What are you hoping for? How can I pray for you?” When someone expresses genuine personal interest in you it is healing. When you open up to grace it is life-giving.

But somewhere along the line we all have felt rejected… devalued… unknown… lost…

And we have learned to deny our hurts… not have emotional needs… distract ourselves from our inner pain… isolate…

We must come to the point where we cry out to God with the Psalmist: “May my cry come before you, O Lord… May your hand be ready to help me… I long for your salvation… I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant” (Psalm 119:169, 173-4, 176).

Jesus Christ answers this prayer – the first time you pray it to become a Christian and everyday that you are hurting or lost in some way. He promised us: “I go after my lost sheep until I find it” (Luke 15:4, paraphrase).

The Good Shepherd is always looking for you – to know you and be known by you, to invite you into a more personal and loving relationship. The question for you and for me – right now and every moment of every day – is are we looking to connect with Him?

Pray with me my little prayer inspired by the last verses of Psalm 119:

O Jesus, I have strayed like a lost sheep. May your hand help me…

Cry out to the Good Shepherd! Repeat the prayer of the Psalmist again and again, slowly, until it lives in you and your heart is warmed with the realization: the Spirit of Christ is indeed living in me and He is shepherding my soul in love now and always!

O Jesus, I have strayed like a lost sheep. May your hand help me…

Learning to Abide in Prayer has helped me to connect deeply with Christ’s love and to share it with others. I do it everyday. I invite you to practice with me this delightful way of prayerful meditation on Scripture.

The Bible is full of wonderful promises that God loves us in the way that a shepherd cares for his sheep. As part of a retreat I lead that is based on Psalm 23 I share Bible verses on the theme of “Walking with Good Shepherd.”

Jesus is My Refuge

On Palm Sunday Jesus wept over Jerusalem because the people didn’t recognize him (Luke 19:41). Later in Holy Week Jesus cried out for us all: “O how I have longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings!” (Matthew 23:37, paraphrase).

Do you desire to be that close to Christ? David sought to take refuge under the wings of the Lord, snuggled up to his chest. We can “take heart” from him.

In Psalm 61:1-4 David is in a desert wilderness and he prays: “Hear my cry, O God… From the ends of the earth I call to you… Lead me to the rock that is higher than I… I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Selah.”

I can imagine David hiding and praying in a desert cave as the armies of Saul (or his son Absalom) are hunting him down. In his trial he trusted in the Lord as his refuge.

What difficulty are you experiencing? Make the Lord your refuge.

Take a moment to pray “Jesus is My Refuge,” my Breath Prayer inspired by Psalm 61:4. Be still for awhile… Imagine yourself under the wings of Christ who longs for you with tears… See yourself hiding in Christ your cave… Let him embrace you close to his heart…

Breathe in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ… Breathe out your longing for him…
Linger in the selah of the Psalmist: breathe in Se (say)… and breathe out lah…

Jesus is My Refuge
Lord Jesus Christ… I long to dwell in your tent forever…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your wings…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your tears…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your cave…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your kingdom…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your embrace…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your holy name…
Se… lah…

Lord Jesus Christ… I long to dwell in your tent forever.

Abiding in Prayer is one of the spiritual exercises that helps me the most. I like to meditate on Scripture in this way for a few quiet minutes in the morning. Then as often as I can remember during the day I practice God’s presence as I do whatever I am doing by praying a line like:
“Lord Jesus Christ… I take refuge in the shelter of your wings…”

One Thing

In the Bible David is called a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22). What does it mean that David had a heart for God?

David longed to draw closer to the Lord. He devoted his whole heart to God. His Psalms are filled with this holy longing of his soul for more of God.

We know that sometimes David strayed from his devotion to the Lord. He had an affair with Bathsheba and then arranged for her husband Uriah to be killed in battle! He neglected his children. He had issues with pride and anger, particularly in his reign as king. But the difficulties that David had living out his whole-hearted dedication to the Lord make him all the more appealing of a role model – we can relate to him!

I urge you to join me and “take heart” from David. Let the heat of his devotion for the Lord warm your heart. Let David’s Psalm 27 prayer kindle the fires of devotion to God in your heart.

My prayer “One Thing” is inspired by Psalm 27. Use it to focus your heart on Christ and his cross as your One Thing to live for.

I am phasing out the "Christian Soul Care Blog" and replacing it with my "Soul Shepherding Blog." 1-2 times per week I post a short prayer practice there. I invite you to sign up.

Thoughts as Incense

Distracting thoughts are great enemies of prayer. They can be like buzzing bees that drive us crazy!

Today I enjoyed Sabbath time with Jesus. With My Psalms Prayer Book in hand and candles lit at the altar in my prayer room I kneeled and prayed from Psalm 118.

The Word of God helped inflame the Spirit in my heart and burn away the distracting thoughts until little by little I was centered in God’s presence and my thoughts became as incense…

It lasted awhile. Of course, the bees came back! Lord, help me to keep the fire going! Guard my mind and heart with your peace (Colossians 3:1-3).

Try centering yourself in my Psalm 118 Prayer to calm down your anxious thoughts till they rise as incense prayers to God. Enjoy God’s presence. Re-kindle the fire as often as you can.

Thoughts as Incense (A Prayer from Psalm 118:8-14)

It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in myself;

It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in my thoughts.

~

Distracting thoughts surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.

They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord Jesus I cut them off.

They swarmed around me like bees; in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ I cut them off.

~

I was about to fall, but the Lord freed me from diversion;

The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

~

It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in myself;

It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in my thoughts.

~

Distracting thoughts surrounded me, but the fire of the Spirit in me burned them as incense.

They surrounded me on every side, but the fire of the Holy Spirit in me burned them as incense.

They swarmed around me like bees; the fire of the Holy Spirit of Christ in me burned them as incense.

~

I was besieged, but the Lord flamed my thoughts into prayers;

The Lord captivates me with his glory! He is the delight of my heart!

Devoted to You

David is known as a man after God’s heart because of the way he prays. I so desire to be known as one who has a heart for God, don’t you?

You and I can grow to be more of a person after God’s heart! David shows us how in Psalm 86. In prayer dedicate each aspect of your person to the Lord. Psalm 86 is not well-known, but it’s one of my favorite of David’s prayers. It’s a prayer of whole-hearted devotion to the Lord. Let’s “take heart” from David!

Join me in praying “Devoted to You,” a prayer I adapted from Psalm 86. Linger on each line, praying it slowly and deeply to consecrate all that you are and all that you do the Lord God…

Devoted to You

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul:

Guard my life, O Lord, for I am devoted to you;

Guard my heart, O Father, for I love you with all my choices;

Guard my mind, O Jesus, for I fix my thoughts on following you;

Guard my body, O Spirit, for I give it to be your temple;

Guard my relationships, O Trinity, for I center my conversations on you.

Hear my prayer, O Lord.

~

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul:

I offer my eyes to you, O Lord, to behold your beauty;

I offer my lips to you, O Father, to speak your praises;

I offer my ears to you, O Jesus, to listen to your words;

I offer my steps to you, O Spirit, to follow your movements;

I offer my life to you, O Trinity, to honor you alone.

Hear my prayer, O Lord.

~

Learn more about how You Can Be the Disciple Jesus Loves!

Be Still as the Lake at Dawn

Have you ever meditated on a nature setting as a way to listen to God? God reveals himself and his purposes for us through his creation. Praying a Psalm in its Nature Setting is a favorite spiritual practice of mine.

For instance, many times in the early morning I have met with Jesus by meditating at Woodbridge North Lake near my home in Irvine, CA.

The image of the still lake is imbeded deep in my conscious and my prayers. It draws me into the quiet. It opens my heart to listen. It centers me in God’s presence. It reflects heaven to me in surprising ways.

And it inspired my prayer poem: “Be Still.”
Be Still

Be still as the lake at Dawn

In a world that wakes to alarms and agendas:

Quietly rest so you can listen;

Breathe and open to your soul;

Wait patiently to receive what is to come,

Softly absorb the light as a looking glass.

~

Be still to know the I AM;

Let the “rush hour” pass by your silence:

The Voice whispers to create Life;

It swims and plays deep within you;

As holy feet step upon your waters

Heaven’s Face smiles upon you

– and out from you.

~

Be still as the lake at Dawn;

Be still to know the I AM;

In a world that wakes to alarms and agendas

Let the “rush hour” pass by your silence.

~

Quietly rest so you can listen:

The Voice whispers to create Life;

Breathe and open to your soul

It swims and plays deep within you.

~

Wait patiently to receive what is to come,

As holy feet step upon your waters;

Softly absorb the light as a looking glass,

Heaven’s Face smiles upon you

– and out from you.

Jesus Smiles at You!

The most important thing in your life is that you see Jesus smiling at you! Then a smile will come to your face and to the people around you!

Do you see Jesus smiling at you? Do you ever pause to think about this and smile your appreciation in reply?

A smile is a powerful prayer! It can help you to overcome discouragement, worry, frustration, loneliness, or boredom – really!

Jesus welcomes you to come closer. He’s interested in how you’re feeling and what you’re doing – he enjoys knowing you and being your Friend. And to have the Lord God Almighty as your Friend is the best blessing!

Jesus opens his heart to you. He wants to encourage you and to guide you on the path of life with him. Follow Jesus and discover that, YOU are the disciple Jesus loves!

Here’s a favorite Breath Prayer of mine that I developed after my first two years of Praying the Psalms with Jesus everyday:

* “Jesus delights in me… I delight in you my Lord” (inspired by Psalm 18:19; 37:4, 23).

Breathe in (with a smile!): “Jesus delights in me…”

Breathe out (still smiling!): “I delight in you my Lord.”

Try it for a few minutes now, slowly and softly repeating it over and over…

As you go about your day breathe it in and out whenever you can remember: “Jesus delights in me… I delight in you my Lord.”

One breath. One prayer. It may seem like a little thing but it can make help you to do whatever you’re doing with and for Jesus – and to smile with the joy of the Lord!

Breathe a Prayer - it's Simple and Delightful!

In my teaching, counseling, and leading of retreats I find that people greatly benefit from learning how to use a “Breath Prayer” approach to meditating on a phrase from the Bible.

A reader of the Soul Shepherding Blog asked me for help in learning to do this…

My recent post, God’s Word to Me (based on my meditations from Psalm 19), included a number of Breath Prayers. Let’s take one as example (many of the short prayers I post work like this)…

“Jesus… I smile in your light.”

This easy and joyful prayer is a deep and profound response to God’s Kingdom in our midst!

Jesus said that he is the Light of the World and that we are lights to shine for him in the world. When we trust in him his light shines on us and all around us from above, inside us to permeate our whole being, and through us to bless everyone we come into contact with. This is by the Holy Spirit (“the Spirit of Christ”).

Light is the source and sustaining power behind all life on earth. Light is what enables us to see.

Smiling to Jesus helps us to appreciate that indeed he lights on us, smiles his favor on us, 24×7.

Try slooooowly breathing in and out:

Jesus… I smile in your light

Jesus… I smile in your light

Jesus… I smile in your light

Using a Breath Prayer like this will help you to meditate on and enter into the reality of God’s glorious kingdom.

Breathe in as you whisper: “Jesus…”

Breathe out (and smile!) as you whisper: “I smile in your light.”

Pause and then repeat the prayer.

Slowly breathing a prayer helps you to meditate or marinate in God’s Word, connecting with Christ and taking his words way into your heart (which is your will that orients your whole life).

Breathing in is an expression of receiving or internalizing God’s Word and Spirit.

Breathing out is an expression of releasing tensions and controls. Also it can be viewed as overflowing with (sharing) God’s Word and Spirit with others.

For more help see my articles on Centering Prayer and Breath Prayer.

Also, I tweet a centering “Breath Prayer” from the Psalms 1-2 times per day: http://twitter.com/billgaultiere.

God's Word to Me (and to You!)

Today I spent extended time alone with the Lord in prayer and meditation. Part of that time I meditated on Psalm 19 as I sat outside by a lake in the sunshine.

In Psalm 19 we are reminded that God is speaking to us in his creation and his law. If only we will be still… Open the eyes of our heart… Breathe in deep… Listen…

We see his beauty. We hear his wisdom. We know he is Love. We sense his heart reaching out to draw us close and embrace us in love. We trust his goodness transforming us into his own image. We share him with every person that we can.

O Beauty of beauties! O Wisdom of wisdom! O Word of life! O Jesus!

Let me prayer poem based on Psalm 19 help you to breathe in and out the name that is above all names…

God’s Word to Me

Jesus… You are God’s Son shining in the heavens

Jesus… I smile in your light

Jesus… You are my Bridegroom coming for me

Jesus… I hold you in my heart

Jesus… You are my Champion rejoicing to run your course

Jesus… I follow you

Jesus… You are God’s Law restoring souls

Jesus… I study and obey you

Jesus… You are more precious than gold

Jesus… I give up all for you

Jesus… You are sweeter than honey

Jesus… I delight in you

Jesus… You are God’s Word to me

Jesus… I love to speak your name

Extend your Sled Run in the New Year!

“New things I declare to you. Before they spring into being I announce them to you. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth… See I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wilderness.” (Isaiah 42:9, 10; 43:19)

When was the last time you went sledding in the snow? Maybe it's been awhile. When I see a snow-covered hill the boy in me comes out! Over the years Kristi and I have had some exciting adventures on sled runs with our kids. Our favorite spot to sled is on the big hill in the forest right behind the cabin we go to in Lake Arrowhead, CA.

One time after an hour of sliding and shrieking with delight, David (he was 13 years old) and I decided that rather than joining Kristi and the girls in going back to the cabin to sit by the fire and sip hot chocolate we'd extended the sled run. We added a snow bank and made a groove that turned to the right and then went farther down the hill. I call it a big hill, but it's really the side of the mountain and it sent us flying. And I do mean flying! We got airborne!

But the most thrilling part was the end. That was the steepest, fastest part of the sled run and it headed straight for the street. Picture this. There we were, both of us sitting in this long sled, me in the back and David tucked just in front of me and leaning back against my chest, and we'd go soaring down the mountain and screaming with excitement, "Yeahhh!" Then at the last second David would yell, "Bail!" and we'd launch ourselves off of the sleds to go sliding and laughing into the snow bank while the sled crashed into the street below.

That was fun! And that's a picture of how I want to start the New Year. I want to extend my sled run. God has more of his life for me then I have yet learned to expand into. And he has more for you too!

Let's go sledding with Jesus! Let's improve the sled run! And let's bail out on living for own goals in our own strength. Let’s aim to live our whole lives as Jesus' apprentices – it’s the greatest adventure of life! Nothing is more fun and more meaningful.

The Apprentice Prayer

I used to get up thinking about – or worrying about! – all the things I needed to do that day and rushing to get going on them. But I’ve learned to begin my day in quiet prayer. (Sometimes to do this I have to wrestle the anxieties off of me!)

Years ago I learned to offer the first words of the day to my Lord: “I love you Jesus!”

This has grown into “the Apprentice Prayer”: a simple but powerful prayer of devotion to Jesus.

I use The Apprentice Prayer to train my heart to live as an apprentice to Jesus. It helps me to rejoice in the Lord in trials, submit to his kingdom in all that I do, and listen to what God is teaching me through the events of my day. It also helps me to entrust myself and my loved one’s to God’s providential, loving care.

Begin this New Year by offering The Apprentice Prayer (or your own paraphrased version) each morning for a number of days. Form a prayer habit of the heart and you’ll be amazed at how God uses it to help you to live as the disciple Jesus loves!

The Apprentice Prayer
Jesus, I love you! Father, I adore you. Holy Spirit, I rely on you.

Lord Jesus, I seek to live as your apprentice in all that I do today. I submit myself to you and your kingdom. In all things today I pray, “Your will, your way, your time.”

Dear Father, I ask you to ordain the events of this day and use them to make me more like Jesus. I trust you, Sovereign Lord, that you won’t let anything happen to my family or me today, except that it passes through your loving hands. So no matter what problems, hardships, or injustices I face today help me not to worry or get frustrated, but instead to relax in the yoke of your providence. Yes, today I will rejoice because I am in your eternal kingdom, you love me, and you are teaching me!

My Lord, I devote my whole self to you. I want to be all and only for Jesus! Today, I love you with all my heart (intentions and choices), all my soul (personality), all my mind (thoughts), all my strength (body and energy), and all my relationships (conversations and interactions).

Today, I depend on you, Holy Spirit, not my own resources. Help me to keep in step with you.

Today, I look to love others as you love me, dear God, blessing everyone I meet, even those who mistreat me.

Today, I’m ready to lead people to follow you, Jesus.

Amen.