Praying Without Ceasing

My family has never outgrown read-aloud time. Even though most of my kids are grown (the youngest is in high school), we still read books together. We have recently finished a Chaucer-reading era and have now launched into C. S. Lewis and the Chronicles of Narnia for old-time’s sake.

Reading the Chronicles again, with Aslan the Lion and adventures of the Kingdom of Narnia reminds me of C. S. “Jack” Lewis’ deep faith. He was a man of prayer.

Here is what his step-son, Douglas Gresham said about him:

“I don’t know what he prayed, but it was not uncommon for me to walk into a room and to find Jack praying. And I would say, ‘I’m so sorry, Jack,” and he would say, ‘Don’t worry, I was only praying’. I saw Jack sitting at a desk in prayer. I saw Jack walking in prayer. I could tell if Jack was praying if he was walking around the garden or walking up in the woods or sitting at his desk, but I can’t tell you how I could tell. It was just something I knew. He didn’t ostentatiously get down on his knees or put his hands together in front of his face and so forth.”

His assistant, Walter Hooper, said about Lewis, “I don’t think I ever came across a person who prayed so much. Often in the morning he would get up, go outside to look at the flowers, and stand right there praying…He could pray anywhere…In a train, on a bus, on a walk, or just standing outside. And he prayed on his knees, too, beside his bed.”

(quoted from: The Magic Never Ends- John Duncan)

Lewis prayed at in many times and many places. Perhaps for him that was “praying without ceasing”.

What would prayer without ceasing look like for you?

How to Pray When You Don’t Feel Better

In my work-a-day world, I am a counselor, so I get to hear a lot of folks’ ups and downs.

One sometimes-surprising “down” during the lovely spring season is the feeling of loss and failure. The sun is bursting, flowers are glorying, trees are greening. Life and fresh starts abound.

“Then WHY don’t I feel better?”

“I should feel better. That makes me feel guilty- so I feel worse!”

It is frustrating to think we should feel encouraged but don’t. I want to share with you some ways that God has helped me deal with “not feeling better”.

Lamentations

There are times of grief, sorrow, rejection, loss, pain or trauma in all our lives. In counseling, we talk about these things openly and safely. In prayer, we do the same with God. We tell Him how we feel- openly, honestly, messily. He knows anyway and he cares.

It is helpful to read a Psalm of Lamentation (look at Psalm 31, Psalm 59, Psalm 74, Psalm 80)- read it to yourself, then to God.

Then ask someone to pray with you, too.

Sacrifice of Praise

There are times when things are irritating and pesky- folks not pulling their weight at work, kids leaving junk all over the house, endless chores. These are the things that make us feel irritable, whiny and snippy.

These are like “little foxes that spoil the vine”. They hold no eternal value and if we get our mind on something else, we forget it.

This it time to pull out Hebrew 13:15-

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. (NIV)

We don’t feel like praising God. That is why it is a sacrifice.

But when we make that sacrifice, we are pulled back to where we belong- living with God, thinking about him and his works and his love.

The sacrifice of praise honors God and changes us.

How to Listen to God

“God is speaking to you. Enter the conversation”- Eugene Peterson

Have you ever heard someone say, “God told me…”?

How on earth do they do that? How does someone know if God is telling them something?

Here are some ways to learn to listen to God and to recognize when he is speaking to you:

1) Learn His language

God speaks Bible (not King James only- He speaks NIV, ESV, RSV, even the Message).

Think about it this way:

My friend, Pauline, is from Liberia. If she spoke in her home language to me- I wouldn’t understand and might not even notice. In order for me to listen to her speak in her language, I would have to learn her language.

When you have learned your way around Scriptures, you will recognize God’s language as he speaks to you. You will know that the thought, “Have a hissy-fit at so-and-so” cannot be coming from God, since his word coaches you to be patient.

2) Be quiet

Hey, it works the same way in real life. You have to shut the mouth in order to hear what someone else is saying.

Now, there are folks in my life that I never have to worry about holding a conversation with. When we are together, they talk- and talk and talk and talk. I can’t get a word in edgewise. They leave never having heard anything that I might have wanted to contribute.

Even though you can’t see God, he is there- in you, around you. He has things to say. Be quiet and listen.

more later…