I'm using a really helpful book to prime my prayers during my sabbatical: 'Take Words With You' by Tim Kerr.
The principle behind the book is very simple: the best fuel for prayer is God's Word. The book is therefore a categorised compilation of promises, prayers and passages related to the purpose and priorities of prayer.
And it's therefore a wonderful tool for prayer. I've been working through it day by day, just reading the verses as a primer for my own prayers, asking God to draw my attention to one or two verses from that section that I can then meditate on.
Because I'm a literary-type, I've found it helpful to write out some of these meditative prayers (as the saying goes: 'expression deepens impression') This also means I can return to them again in a form that will be useful in drier seasons.
To be honest, these written prayers aren't much good, but I thought it might be helpful to include one here to illustrate how God's Word can be used to fuel and shape our prayers.
Meditation is a lost discipline for most modern Christians. In contrast to the highly repetitive empty-your-mind meditation encouraged by eastern religions, Christian meditation involves filling your mind with God's truth. It's the act of chewing over and digesting God's Word so that it becomes part of us, transforming our thinking and living.
Snacking is probably a better metaphor for how most of us engage with God's Word. We grab a bite to eat at the beginning or end of the day or when we can snatch a spare moment. There's nothing wrong with that of course, a snack is better than nothing at all! However snacking over the long term isn't very healthy and so from time to time what we really need is a good square meal.
In Romans 12 Paul tells his readers not to conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of their minds. This comes as we take in God's Word and allow it to examine us, expose us, shape us and remake us. And this only happens as we meditate on God's Word. It's OK to rush fast food, but we wouldn't dream of throwing down food produced by a three star michellin chef. God's Word is like a banquet that's meant to be feasted upon and savoured.
During the space my sabbatical is giving me, I'm rediscovering the value - the joy - of meditating on God's Word in prayer and savouring it and digesting it.
For example, one morning last week I found myself drawn to Psalm 115:3:
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.What follows is a condensed version of the meditative prayer that emerged from this as I chewed over that verse and looked at it from different angles and sought to be shaped by it...
What pleases me is not always what is good.
Even when what pleases me is good, I don't do always do it, because
As a creature I don't always have the power,
And as a sinner I don't always have the resolve.
Not so with you Lord.
You are the glorious, holy and all powerful Lord of Heaven.
Because you are Good, you are only ever pleased by what is good.
Because you are the Lord of Heaven, you not only desire what is good,
You also have the power
And resolve
To do only and always what is good.
You are therefore eternally pleased, satisfied, and at rest in yourself.
Work in me by your Spirit to give me
The power
And resolve
To desire and do what pleases you.
Help me to abhor what you abhor
And love what you love.
Help me to shun what is evil
And choose what is good.
Because all that is good is ultimately from you,
Help me to pursue you above all else,
Even above good things themselves,
Lest good things become evil things by occupying the place you should have in my heart.
Help me to find my greatest
Pleasure,
Satisfaction,
And Rest
In you.
So that as well as Lord of Heaven,
You are also Lord of my Heart.
Amen.
NOTE:
Unfortunately 'Take Words With You' is only available as an ebook for Kindle at present.
However fortunately, at the time of writing this post, it's only 77p!!
What are you waiting for? Go bag a bargain!
