I've read it before, but our Sunday school class is doing Richard Foster's Celebration of Discipline, and it is SO good and rich and to the point. His chapter on prayer has absolutely changed how I pray, especially in regard to the value of praying with our imaginations.
We've been praying heavily for a dear friend whose cancer battle has been long and discouraging and HARD. We've been praying for her for a long time, and this week as she faced more tests and surgeries and chemo, I found myself asking the Lord to give me a fresh wind in praying for her. Help for my heavy heart. Hope in a helpless situation. I've been asking Him to help me pray NEW.
And then the kids and I were around the table in 2nd Chronicles for breakfast devotions, and the Lord met my prayers in it!
King Jehoshaphat had a “great multitude” coming against him, and he “was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord,” calling all his people together to fast and to pray urgently, and declared simply and with faith: “LORD, God in heaven and ruler of all, in your hand are power and might. We are totally powerless against this great horde. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are set on YOU.”
The Lord: “do not be afraid. Do not worry about the great horde, the battle isnt yours to fight, but mine. Stand firm. Hold your position, and see the salvation of your God.”
They did. And when they finally got to the enemy camp, singing praises all along the road there, they found that all of their enemies had destroyed each other…."not one had escaped.”
And the “Lord gave Jehoshaphat rest all around.”
What might and new energy this old story gave me again this morning in my prayers...remembering to face the Lord simply and boldly: we're afraid. In you is all power and might. I am powerless. We don't know what to do, but our eyes are ON you.
How the kids and I prayed this morning next to the King of Judah for this battle our friend has been fighting, that the Lord might do what He has done many times before, and fight for her.
We stand firm. We hold our position. And I'm watching the salvation of our God.
Foster has been reminding me that prayer is truly getting behind the Lord...His desires becoming ours, His will becoming ours, His perspective becoming ours. "We are co-creators with God in advancing His kingdom upon the earth." And, "I have found prayer to be the most helpful discipline in freeing us from the monsters of the past because of the inner healing that comes through the hands of those who pray for us."
What a sacred privilege.
If your prayer life has been stagnant or felt tired or uncertain, grab Celebration of Discipline and read through the chapter on prayer!
No comments:
Post a Comment