I've been learning that prayer can be like breathing - something we do continuously and automatically without even thinking about it. I love using short phrases of Scripture as "Breath Prayers."
Breathing in and out God's Word as I go about my day connects me with God, adds tremendous meaning to my life, and gives me such peace. I've found that there are many "idle" spaces in any given day for prayer moments, like when I'm transitioning from one activity to the next, driving, waiting, getting ready in the morning, or preparing to go to bed at night (or laying in bed awake!).
To offer a Breath Prayer it helps to breathe in deeply and slowly, taking about 10 seconds for a breath. Learn to breathe (and pray) from your stomach - gently.
With each breath or two offer to God your short Scripture prayer.
The last couple of days I've been praying a favorite Breath Prayer inspired by Psalm 39, especially verses 5 and 11...
"My life is a breath... Selah.
I am a breath... Selah.
My life is God's breath... Forever.
I am God's breath... Forever."
(Note that the word "selah" is used in the Psalms and probably means, "Pause to reflect and pray.")
Join me in praying this Breath Prayer right now...
Breathe in deep and slow from your stomach... Hold your breath, longer than normal... Release slowly and gently... Wait to breathe longer than is comfortable to let your body feel the longing for God's Word and Spirit...
Without even using any words your breathing is expressing your prayerful intention to connnect with God...
Gently repeat this breathing prayer (You may need to practice this for it to become natural and easy and be able to experience being in the flow of the Spirit of God!)
Now, as you breathe in whisper God's Word: "My life is a breath"... Hold God's Word inside you... Release as you you whisper: "Selah"... Wait to breathe as you feel your longing for God...
Slowly and gently repeat for each phrase.
Try memorizing the prayer I wrote or one of the phrases in it and return to your Breath Prayer as often as you can during the day. Make a game of it! How many times can you remember to breathe in God's Word to you? Three? Thirty? Three hundred?!!!!
Please share your experience with us in the Christian Soul Care blog...
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Share your thoughts with Dr. Bill in 1Community |
Monday, May 18, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Live Worry-Free
Can we live without worry? The answer must be yes or Jesus wouldn't have said, "Do not worry."
Do you know what he said next?
"Look at the birds!" Yes, Jesus told us to become birdwatchers! It's hard to watch a bird and worry at the same time! They flutter from branch to branch so graciously. They sing so beautifully. They fly in the sky so wonderfully.
Ahhhh! I love the birds! Thank you Lord for your peace! Jesus knew what he was talking about: the same Father God who cares for the birds cares for you and I.
Listen in on some bird talk and relax in Abba's arms...
“Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
‘I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.’
Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
‘Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me’”
Does God minister to you through birds?
Do you know what he said next?
"Look at the birds!" Yes, Jesus told us to become birdwatchers! It's hard to watch a bird and worry at the same time! They flutter from branch to branch so graciously. They sing so beautifully. They fly in the sky so wonderfully.
Ahhhh! I love the birds! Thank you Lord for your peace! Jesus knew what he was talking about: the same Father God who cares for the birds cares for you and I.
Listen in on some bird talk and relax in Abba's arms...
“Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
‘I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so.’
Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
‘Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me’”
Does God minister to you through birds?
Saturday, May 9, 2009
A Caveman Prayer
Have you ever prayed in a cave? Yesterday I did.
You may know that I've been praying the Psalms everyday for the last year and a half. I've noticed that some of David's best prayers were in a cave, like Psalm 57 and 142 (and probably others like Psalm 27 and 61).
So I figured that to be "a man of prayer" (Psalm 109:4) like David it might help if I spent some time being "a caveman" like him!
Indeed, meditating on Psalm 57 in a cave for a couple of hours helped me to connect more deeply with what it means to make God my refuge. I realized that God is more than a cave I can flee to in order to escape my troubles. In all the situations of my life I can find refuge in God through prayer, snuggling under His wings and walking in His shadow. David models for us that this is the way to awaken His dawn from deep within - in the midst of any situation we may find ourselves in.
My Prayer Poem based on Psalm 57 expresses this:
The Cave
Hidden
In a cave
Surrounded by lions
Under His wings
Alone
In the dark
Assaulted by accusations
Following His shadow
Quiet
In my soul
Troubled by hardships
Joining His prayers
Alert
In the night
Besieged by lies
Awakening His dawn
As you pray today, both in your devotions and as you go about your day, imagine yourself hidden in a secret cave with God as your refuge. What is this like for you?
You may know that I've been praying the Psalms everyday for the last year and a half. I've noticed that some of David's best prayers were in a cave, like Psalm 57 and 142 (and probably others like Psalm 27 and 61).
So I figured that to be "a man of prayer" (Psalm 109:4) like David it might help if I spent some time being "a caveman" like him!
Indeed, meditating on Psalm 57 in a cave for a couple of hours helped me to connect more deeply with what it means to make God my refuge. I realized that God is more than a cave I can flee to in order to escape my troubles. In all the situations of my life I can find refuge in God through prayer, snuggling under His wings and walking in His shadow. David models for us that this is the way to awaken His dawn from deep within - in the midst of any situation we may find ourselves in.
My Prayer Poem based on Psalm 57 expresses this:
The Cave
Hidden
In a cave
Surrounded by lions
Under His wings
Alone
In the dark
Assaulted by accusations
Following His shadow
Quiet
In my soul
Troubled by hardships
Joining His prayers
Alert
In the night
Besieged by lies
Awakening His dawn
As you pray today, both in your devotions and as you go about your day, imagine yourself hidden in a secret cave with God as your refuge. What is this like for you?
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Hurry Sickness
Hurry sickness is rampant today in our culture. We rush from thing to thing. We try to get more done in less time. We use adrenaline (and caffeine) to pump us up and makes us feel alive and powerful.
Hurry sickness is bad for our health. It diminishes soul. And it destroys our relationships with one another and with God.
For most of my life I've done this. But I've been learning to stay out of the fast lane, to walk slower, and to pause to breathe and to pray.
In the Gospels I see that Jesus was never in a hurry - except at the end of his life when he headed toward Jerusalem to embrace his cross! (We tend to do the opposite by hurring into pleasures and achievements and refusing to deny ourselves.) Jesus always had time to enjoy people and to care for them. He always had time to pray.
What a joy it is when we learn to enjoy the moment with God!
What's your experience?
Hurry sickness is bad for our health. It diminishes soul. And it destroys our relationships with one another and with God.
For most of my life I've done this. But I've been learning to stay out of the fast lane, to walk slower, and to pause to breathe and to pray.
In the Gospels I see that Jesus was never in a hurry - except at the end of his life when he headed toward Jerusalem to embrace his cross! (We tend to do the opposite by hurring into pleasures and achievements and refusing to deny ourselves.) Jesus always had time to enjoy people and to care for them. He always had time to pray.
What a joy it is when we learn to enjoy the moment with God!
What's your experience?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Do you see God smiling at you?
One of my favorite ways to pray is to imagine Jesus' smiling at me.
As I've said before, I pray from the Psalms everyday. The Psalms are full of prayers and meditations that refer to the Lord delighting in us, shining his favor on us, or smiling on us.
For instance, today I'm praying from Psalm 138 and have been "centering" myself (returning again and again quietly and meditatively to the prayer:
"Though the Lord is on high, he smiles upon the lowly, like me and _________." (Psalm 138:6).
To help me "see" the Lord's loving, joyful smile I have put into my personalized Psalms prayer book pictures of artists' renderings of the smile of Christ. (You can google this online!)
What a blessing this simple way of prayer is for me! It lifts me eyes to heaven. It brings a smile to my face. It makes my steps lighter - even in the midst of daily stresses and challenges and pains.
Do you ever imagine Jesus smiling at you? How does this or would this effect you?
As I've said before, I pray from the Psalms everyday. The Psalms are full of prayers and meditations that refer to the Lord delighting in us, shining his favor on us, or smiling on us.
For instance, today I'm praying from Psalm 138 and have been "centering" myself (returning again and again quietly and meditatively to the prayer:
"Though the Lord is on high, he smiles upon the lowly, like me and _________." (Psalm 138:6).
To help me "see" the Lord's loving, joyful smile I have put into my personalized Psalms prayer book pictures of artists' renderings of the smile of Christ. (You can google this online!)
What a blessing this simple way of prayer is for me! It lifts me eyes to heaven. It brings a smile to my face. It makes my steps lighter - even in the midst of daily stresses and challenges and pains.
Do you ever imagine Jesus smiling at you? How does this or would this effect you?
Saturday, April 18, 2009
What Every Woman Needs to Know
As we said previously, men and women alike need to know that we are "the beloved" of God. But masculinity and femininity have differing needs along these lines.
I believe that men need to know that they are significant, that they have something unique and important to contribute.
And women need to know that they are attractive, not just physically, but personally. Women long to hear from their father, boyfriend, husband, and, most importantly, from God!, the words that Mary heard from the angel at the annunciation: "You're beautiful with God's beauty. Beautiful inside and out" (Luke 1:26).
Let's interact on this... What do you think? Is this true in your experience? Ask a friend to read this blog and share their experience.
I believe that men need to know that they are significant, that they have something unique and important to contribute.
And women need to know that they are attractive, not just physically, but personally. Women long to hear from their father, boyfriend, husband, and, most importantly, from God!, the words that Mary heard from the angel at the annunciation: "You're beautiful with God's beauty. Beautiful inside and out" (Luke 1:26).
Let's interact on this... What do you think? Is this true in your experience? Ask a friend to read this blog and share their experience.
Monday, April 6, 2009
I made a mistake and God blessed me...
Awhile ago on the Christian Soul Care Blog I referred to building a library in the loft of our home. Designing and building built-in bookcases and desks has been quite a challenge! So much measuring, cutting, staining, building...
It's a reminder of why it'd cost me upwards of $10,000 to have someone else do the work.
Yesterday, God gave me a great blessing...
I had made a mistake on my cuts for one of the base board pieces - getting those angles right, especially with a hand saw!, is difficult. So I was disappointed and frustrated when I had to set the board aside to be thrown out - along with a few others! That felt like getting a sore arm and working 30 minutes for nothing.
Of course, so much of life is like that: doing little jobs, making mistakes on things, feeling unproductive... I know that all of life is meaningful, that it's an opportunity to pray. And as I work I remind myself to pray. Sometimes on this library project I've prayed, "Lord Jesus, I want to be a good carpenter like you, to build things and people for you." But often I'm not so prayerful and just I'm just pushing through the work and getting tired, stressed, or frustrated.
So my blessing was when I realized that the "throw away" piece of wood happened to fit just right and have the angles just right for an odd section I was about to measure and cut for.
God reminded me that he redeems my mistakes and my sins; through Christ, God brings good things even out of my bad! This helps me not go into guilt or self-condemnation when I make a mistake. It's better to just run into Jesus' open arms!
It's a reminder of why it'd cost me upwards of $10,000 to have someone else do the work.
Yesterday, God gave me a great blessing...
I had made a mistake on my cuts for one of the base board pieces - getting those angles right, especially with a hand saw!, is difficult. So I was disappointed and frustrated when I had to set the board aside to be thrown out - along with a few others! That felt like getting a sore arm and working 30 minutes for nothing.
Of course, so much of life is like that: doing little jobs, making mistakes on things, feeling unproductive... I know that all of life is meaningful, that it's an opportunity to pray. And as I work I remind myself to pray. Sometimes on this library project I've prayed, "Lord Jesus, I want to be a good carpenter like you, to build things and people for you." But often I'm not so prayerful and just I'm just pushing through the work and getting tired, stressed, or frustrated.
So my blessing was when I realized that the "throw away" piece of wood happened to fit just right and have the angles just right for an odd section I was about to measure and cut for.
God reminded me that he redeems my mistakes and my sins; through Christ, God brings good things even out of my bad! This helps me not go into guilt or self-condemnation when I make a mistake. It's better to just run into Jesus' open arms!
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