Author: Matt Cecil

“Thinking that our posture wins favor with God or that it ensures an answer to prayer reduces prayer to magic; however, if we refuse to place ourselves under some particular, reasonable physical discipline, our pride can separate us from God.” Dr. Ellsworth Kalas, “Longing to Pray”

Prayer prompt (also from Dr. Kalas’ text): “See for yourself how the mood changes as the posture changes. Sit and pray, and prayer takes on a conversational quality. Stand, and you feel you are making an appearance before the King. Lift your hands, and a special sense of adoration engulfs your prayer. Put your head down, and you feel awe, humility, perhaps even shame; lift your head, and there is a sense of glad openness.”  

Today try more than one of these postures in your prayer time that you usually don’t use.

Presumptuous Friendship: part 2

“The more we experience of the goodness of God, the more we are in danger of the ingratitude that neglects the source of that goodness. In any friendship, human or divine, we need to pause at frequent intervals and ask ourselves if we have allowed favor to make us presumptuous. Without being morbid, we should pause to ask, “What would my life be like without this friendship?” And then, we should seek to celebrate the wonder of friendship with some act of beauty.” Dr. Ellsworth Kalas – “Longing to Pray”

Prayer prompt: Make this an active prayer; an expression, “to celebrate the wonder of friendship with some act of beauty”. What “act” should it be? That is up to you and your own unique expression of your friendship with Jesus!

Presumptuous Friendship: part 1

“The more we experience of the goodness of God, the more we are in danger of the ingratitude that neglects the source of that goodness. In any friendship, human or divine, we need to pause at frequent intervals and ask ourselves if we have allowed favor to make us presumptuous. Without being morbid, we should pause to ask, “What would my life be like without this friendship?” And then, we should seek to celebrate the wonder of friendship with some act of beauty.” Dr. Ellsworth Kalas – “Longing to Pray”

Prayer prompt: Honestly pray over the question, What would my life be like without this friendship with Jesus? Listen carefully for his answer and respond accordingly.

“The psalmists didn’t lecture about time with God, they simply implemented it. Is there something to be said to God? Then say it – not once, but twice or three times. And don’t say it the same way each time to do so would be to engage in the “vain repetitions” or “empty phrases” that Jesus warned against (Matthew 6:7 KJV, NRSV). Such praying becomes lazy; the brain is put in an idling mode, and the words roll out without thought or content. The psalmist would have none of that. He speaks his heart to God, and then searches for a way to say it again. Having rejoiced in a God who “makes me lie down in green pastures,” he follows his metaphor a step further: “he leads me beside still waters” (Psalm 23:2).” Dr. Ellsworth Kalas – “Longing to Pray”

Prayer prompt: As you pray, write down a short phrase or sentence that you have uttered to God. Now rewrite that same phrase…. and rewrite it again one more time.

“those who pray best are those who schedule prayer into their day the way they schedule everything else that is important. I believe in Paul’s admonition to “pray without ceasing”, and I seek in my uneven way to fulfill his counsel. But I have learned – as perhaps you have, too – that I’m more likely to pray on the run and in the midst of other pursuits when I have set aside an earlier time to devote myself entirely to prayer. Friendship takes time, and in no freindship is time more crucial than in the divine friendship, where the means of communication is prayer.” Dr. Ellsworth Kalas – “Longing to Pray”

Prayer prompt: Life is often hectic and somewhat unexpected. This makes prayer difficult at times if we do not set and then guard our time to pray. Take out your phone/calendar and set an appointment to meet with Jesus in prayer for the next three days. Then pray that God will protect that time from the unexpected that would cause you to miss an opportunity to meet with Jesus.

“Now and then, as an average friendship grows, we confess that we had at first sold the other person short. We didn’t know how much there was to the person; we might even have thought the person was shallow, until we got below the surface. Then we realized the shallowness was not in the other person, but in our own readiness to settle for a skin-deep relationship.” Dr. Ellsworth Kalas – ‘Longing to Pray’

Prayer prompt: Consider the depth of your relationship with Jesus. Are you willing to go deeper? Pray over any barriers that might be stopping you from doing so.

“I take some strange comfort in Bonhoeffer’s saying that we “are inclined to pray too hurriedly.” Then it is not simply our speed-ridden, computer-driven, instant-satisfaction culture that can’t find time to pray, or that seeks quick-fix spirituality; Bonhoeffer dealt with the same problem sixty or seventy years ago. And come to think of it, perhaps the saintliest souls of twenty-five or thirty centuries ago recognized the same human tendency” Dr. Ellsworth Kalas – “Longing to Pray”

One cure for hurried prayer we find in the Psalms is repetition. Praying the same words again and again until they aren’t just said and thought; they are felt and lived.

Prayer prompt: Pray Psalm 136 until you know, “His love endures forever”.

Psalm 44:1-8

1 We have heard it with our ears, O God; our ancestors have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. 2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our ancestors; you crushed the peoples and made our ancestors flourish. 3 It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them. 4 You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. 5 Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. 6 I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; 7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. 8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever.

Prayer prompt: Remember a time in the past that God delivered you. (if you can’t think of one you can use the deliverance in verses 1-3). Now consider the people or things that you are currently trusting in. Pray that God will help you let go of them and turn your trust to God alone.

“In the final measure, God is the only Friend with whom we can be utterly and completely honest. Our God is strong enough to hear our complaints, including especially those complaints that may reflect on God’s own character. God is never shocked by what we say. God never says, “I wish you hand’t told me that.” There is no limit to God’s ability to deal with our candor.” Dr. Ellsworth Kalas – ‘Longing to Pray’

Prayer prompt: Are there any words you have been holding back from saying out loud? Words of disappointment, confusion, despair, or frustration. Words about your current situation or planned for future. Pray them out loud to our strong God.

“I think God is the kind of good Friend who enlists other people to pray for us. I think that’s what may be happening on those occasions when someone comes to the mind unbidden; this may be God’s nudge to pray for that person. But God reveals no secrets in doing so. God simply enlists us to come alongside a person in need, raising them up by our prayers.” Dr. Ellsworth Kalas – ‘Longing to Pray’

Prayer prompt: With a clear mind and no agenda, approach God in prayer and simply ask for the name of a person who God would like you to pray for…. then pray for them.